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Kéllé Bryan

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Kéllé Bryan
Bryan in 2019
Born (1975-03-12) 12 March 1975 (age 49)
Plaistow, London, England
Alma materItalia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actress
Years active1991–present
Spouses
Jay Gudgeon
​
(m. 2010)​
Children2
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentsVocals
Labels
Formerly ofEternal
Websitewww.kellebryan.co.uk

Kéllé Bryan (born 12 March 1975) is an English singer and actress, known as a member of girl group Eternal.[1] In 2018, she began portraying the role of Martine Deveraux in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, a role she played until 2022. She is also part of the Loose Women panel. In October 2020 Bryan alongside Charlene White, Brenda Edwards, and Judi Love became the first all black panel in the shows history the panel has been seen several times since then.

Early life

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Bryan was born on 12 March 1975 in Plaistow, Greater London.[2] Aged 11, Bryan joined the Italia Conti Academy stage school, where she completed eight years of performing arts and qualified as a dance teacher. While at the school, she met Louise Nurding – the pair met executive record producer Oliver Smallman, who was forming a girl group.[3] According to Louise, Eternal was initially planned as a trio consisting of her and the Bennett sisters. But then it was proposed that it could be a quartet, so Louise suggested her best friend Kéllé.[4]

Career

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Bryan appeared in ITV's The Bill, and on 31 March 1992 she appeared as Debbie in BBC's EastEnders who was a college friend of Lloyd Tavernier (Garey Bridges).[5]

In 1993, Bryan and Nurding, together with sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett formed the 1990s British R&B girl group Eternal. Eternal sold millions of albums,[6] including 16 consecutive top 15 UK chart singles such as "Stay", "Just a Step from Heaven", "Oh Baby I", "Power of a Woman", "I Am Blessed", "Someday", "Don't You Love Me", "I Wanna Be the Only One" and "Angel of Mine".[citation needed] According to Bryan, without Louise Nurding,[6] who left before the start of the recording sessions for the second album,[citation needed] she was "frozen out" by the Bennett sisters and was eventually fired by their solicitor.[1][6][7]

Following her departure from Eternal, Bryan signed a record deal with Mercury Records and began work on her debut solo album, Breakfast in Bed, which would never be released.[6] Her debut single, "Higher than Heaven", was dropped in the UK on 20 September 1999[8] and debuted at number 14 on the national chart.[9] The second one, "I Wanna Know", was set for release on 4 September 2000, but was cancelled[10] shortly before.[11][better source needed]

In 2006, Bryan was a contestant on Love Island 2, finishing as the female runner-up.[6]

In 2008, she contributed backing vocals to "I Found Love", the debut single by Lankai. Bryan also had starring roles in the musical comedy, The X-Tra Factor and a film called The Naked Poet, playing the part of Michelle.[12] In 2012, she played the part of Fran in the BBC comedy Me and Mrs Jones.[13] Bryan joined the cast of the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks in September 2018, portraying the role of Martine Deveraux.[14] From May 2019, she has been appearing regularly on ITV's show Loose Women.[15] After four years of appearing on Hollyoaks, Bryan announced her exit from the show on 3 June 2022 with her final scenes airing that same day.[16]

On 1 June 2023, Bryan made a surprise appearance on stage at former bandmate Louise's Shepherd's Bush Empire concert where they performed 1994 Eternal single "Crazy".[17]

In September 2023, Bryan pulled out of a purported Eternal reunion tour as a show of support of the LGBT community.[18][19] Redknapp and Bryan reported that Easther and Vernie Bennett had refused to perform at a number of proposed LGBT Pride events over objections that the trans community had "hijacked" Pride.[20] Bennetts' anti-LGBTQ manager Denis Ingoldsby[21] commented that the sisters supported the LGBT community and played at many events, but Vernie has raised concerns about trans activists and trans ideology impacting women and children.[22] Bryan went on to post a statement on her Twitter stating she is “an advocate for inclusion and equality for all.”[23]

Personal life and health issues

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Bryan was diagnosed with lupus in 1998 and is a patron of St Thomas' Lupus Trust.[24]

In 2010, she married Jay Gudgeon.[25] The pair have two children together.[26]

In 2014, Bryan began to develop serious symptoms of her lupus. She lost a lot of hair, her sight, hearing, and movement deteriorated, and she was unable to speak. She then had a seizure, and the doctors confirmed that her lupus was affecting her brain.[27] After the seizure, Bryan had to relearn how to read and write, and continues to struggle with short-term memory loss.[28]

Discography

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See also: Eternal discography

Studio albums

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Title Details
Breakfast in Bed

Singles

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Title Year Peak chart positions Album
UK[29]
"Higher than Heaven" 1999 14 Non-album single
"I Wanna Know"[10] 2000 cancelled Non-album single
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1992 EastEnders Debbie 1 episode
2006 Celebrity Love Island Herself Runner-up
2007 The Virus Nurse Short film
2009 The Brothers Jen Main role
2012 Me and Mrs Jones Fran Main role
2012 Rocket's Island Wendy Sparks 3 episodes
2016 The Naked Poet Michelle Film
2018–2022 Hollyoaks Martine Deveraux Series regular
2019–present Loose Women Herself Panelist
2023 Significant Other Shelley Main role
2024 Richard Osman's House of Games Herself Season 8 Episodes 21-25

Stage

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Year Title Role Venue
2005–2006 Jack and the Beanstalk Jill Buxton Opera House
2006–2007 Cinderella Cinderella Catford Theatre
2007–2008 Cinderella Cinderella Oakengates Theatre
2008–2009 Aladdin Princess Jasmine Rickmansworth Watersmeet Theatre
2009–2010 Cinderella Cinderella Derby Assembly Rooms
2010–2011 Cinderella Cinderella The Playhouse, Weston Super Mare
2023-2024 Snow White Good Fairy Elementa Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Result Ref.
2020 TV Choice Awards Best Soap Actress Nominated [30]
2020 Inside Soap Awards Best Actress Nominated [31]
2020 I Talk Telly Awards Best Soap Performance Nominated [32]
2021 26th National Television Awards Serial Drama Performance Nominated [33]
2021 Inside Soap Awards Best Actress Nominated [34]
2021 Inside Soap Awards Best Partnership (shared with Richard Blackwood) Nominated [34]
2021 I Talk Telly Awards Best Soap Performance Nominated [35]
2022 The British Soap Awards Best Leading Performer Nominated [36]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Where Eternal are now - Top lawyer, Flamingo, Loose Women and horror seizure". Mirror Online. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Kelle Bryan". kellebryan.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  3. ^ "Louise on the World Wide Webpublisher=Louise.brigatti.co.uk". Archived from the original on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  4. ^ "From firings by fax to trans rows: the surprisingly wild history of Eternal". The Telegraph. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Life Suppers - Christ Church Leamington Spa". Christ Church. Archived from the original on 10 September 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Whatever Happened To...Eternal?". Female First. Archived from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  7. ^ Ingham, James (26 January 2014). "Louise Redknapp's Eternal strife is 'over' - a reunion is on the cards". Daily Star. Northern & Shell. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 6 November 1999 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "HIGHER THAN HEAVEN". Official Charts. 2 October 1999.
  10. ^ a b "Kéllé Bryan – I Wanna Know (2000, CD)". Discogs.
    "Kéllé Bryan – I Wanna Know (2000, CD) - Discogs". Discogs. "I Wanna Know", Kéllé's stunning new single is set for release 4th September
  11. ^ "Kéllé Bryan - Higher Than Heaven". Can't Stop The Pop. 14 September 2020.
  12. ^ "A Heart Divided". 26 February 2012. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Me & Mrs Jones, Interview with Kelle Bryan". BBC News. Archived from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  14. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (20 September 2018). "Hollyoaks casts Eternal star as Simone sister". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 9 May 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  15. ^ "Our Kelle Bryan opens up about her stroke and living with lupus". ITV News. Archived from the original on 10 September 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  16. ^ Seddon, Dan (3 June 2022). "Hollyoaks star Kéllé Bryan confirms exit as Martine Deveraux after four years". Digital Spy. (Hearst Communications). Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  17. ^ "Caught Live: Louise celebrates her Greatest Hits, stages mini Eternal Reunion during epic 30th anniversary gig". Retro Pop Magazine. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  18. ^ "Eternal's Vernie Bennett breaks silence after Louise Redknapp trans row". Daily Mirror. 26 September 2023.
  19. ^ https://x.com/talktv/status/1706574749361410390?s=57
  20. ^ Lewis, Isobel (26 September 2023). "Louise Redknapp and Kelle Bryan share support for trans community after 'quitting' Eternal reunion over LGBT+ row". The Independent.
  21. ^ https://www.discogs.com/artist/305787-Denis-Ingoldsby
  22. ^ "Final Report – Cass Review".
  23. ^ Manning, Charlotte (25 September 2023). "Kéllé Bryan praised by LGBTQ+ fans as she speaks out after quitting Eternal reunion: 'Epitome of an ally'". Attitude. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  24. ^ "Eternal singer brings lupus awareness to St Thomas'". Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  25. ^ "Loose Women's Kelle Bryan divides viewers after revealing she doesn't buy children Christmas presents". Heart. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  26. ^ "Kelle Bryan: My life as a mum". Mother and Baby. 8 October 2015. Archived from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  27. ^ "Eternal's Kelle Bryan reveals she rang 999 after lupus relapse". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 28 January 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  28. ^ "Mum-of-2 Kelle Bryan opens up about her life-threatening lupus battle". Made for Mums. Archived from the original on 10 September 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  29. ^ "Kéllé Bryan". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  30. ^ "TV Choice Awards Voting Open". digitalspy.co.uk. 27 May 2020.
  31. ^ "Inside Soap Awards reveals full longlist for 2020's ceremony". Digital Spy. 14 September 2020.
  32. ^ Gonzalez, Elliot (8 November 2020). "I TALK TELLY AWARDS 2020 Nominees". I Talk Telly.
  33. ^ Hollyoaks [@Hollyoaks] (25 May 2021). "Voting for the #NTAs is now open! 🙌🙌 Show your support for all of our fantastic nominees by clicking the link and voting all things #Hollyoaks! Let's go #TeamHollyoaks!! ❤️❤️❤️" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  34. ^ a b Alexander, Susannah (28 September 2021). "Inside Soap Awards announces 2021 longlist as voting opens – here's who's up for prizes". Digital Spy. (Hearst Magazines UK). Archived from the original on 2 October 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  35. ^ Gonzalez, Elliot (14 November 2021). "I TALK TELLY AWARDS 2021 Nominations". I Talk Telly. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  36. ^ Houghton, Rianne (21 April 2022). "British Soap Awards 2022 reveals longlist for viewer categories". Digital Spy. (Hearst Communications). Retrieved 19 May 2022.
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