Malandra Burrows

Malandra Burrows
Born	Malandra Elizabeth Newman

Malandra Burrows (born Malandra Elizabeth Newman on 4 November, 1965 in Woolton, Liverpool) is an English actress and singer.

Early life

She started dancing after encouragement from her mother, under the tutelage of Billy Pearce's mother Jean: she appeared on YTV’s "Junior Showtime" at the age of six. In 1974 Malandra Newman became the youngest-ever winner of New Faces, appearing on the same "all-winners" show with Tor Smith and Victoria Wood. Her interest in music continued throughout her early adolescence and in 1978 she won the BBC Merseyside song writer of the year award, at the age of thirteen.

After deciding that she wanted to be a performer, she joined the Everyman Youth Theatre, in Liverpool, did classes at Liverpool Theatre School and also did productions with a local amateur dramatics company at St Peter's, in Woolton, whilst continuing to perform musically. After leaving school with eleven O-levels, she enrolled in a Liverpool drama school, where she remained for two years learning her future trade of acting — changing her surname to Burrows for registration with Equity.

Career

Even before leaving drama school, Burrows played several roles on television, appearing in The Practice and Fell Tiger, as well as taking two parts in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside - firstly Lucy Coflins's schoolfriend, Sue, and then Pat Hancocks girlfriend, Lisa Morrisey in 1982.

Emmerdale

File:Malandra Burrows.jpg

Borrows as Kathy in Emmerdale.

Three months after leaving drama school, she auditioned for the role of Kathy Bates in the popular ITV soap opera Emmerdale (then known as Emmerdale Farm) and got the part. The role has been her most prominent to date. She became one of the programmes longest running characters, remaining in the show from 1985 to 2001 and returning briefly in 2005. Kathy is remembered for being one of the most married characters in the soap and had a reputation for having "the kiss of death" on her men. First husband Jackie Merrick accidentally shot himself in 1989; her second marriage to wheelchair-bound Chris Tate ended in 1995 when he admitted to an affair; in 1996 Kathy’s third husband Dave Glover died saving a baby he thought to be his own from a house fire as he was about to elope with his mistress Kim Tate. Poor Kathy was even dumped at the altar by her fourth fiancee Biff in 1999. During her 16-year stint, Kathy was kidnapped by a diamond thieving lord, knocked down by a horse-stealing conman, targeted by a double wife murderer who tried to drive her over a cliff, trapped in the wreckage of a bus hit by a lorry, and imprisoned for protesting against the local haulage company. Reportedly one of the soap's highest paid stars of the time on a reputed £80,000pa , she paid the price of celebrity when a fanatical mental patient escaped from custody threatening to kill her—she had police protection for two months . She gave her all to the soap for seventeen years, turning down many parts including one written for her in Willy Russell's film version of "Shirley Valentine", but was axed from the soap as part of ITV's revamp of the program in the rush for ratings. Burrows returned for three episodes for Seth's funeral in 2005.

Pop career

Burrows has had minor musical success in the UK Singles Chart, reaching number 11 with the song 'Just This Side Of Love' in 1990.

She then released a self penned single 'Summernight Love' in 1996 on AATW/DKAM Records (#185 UK). This resulted in a recording contract with Warner Bros. and two more singles ("Carnival in Heaven" and "Don't Leave Me") also hit the UK charts (albeit the lower reaches: #49 and #54, respectively).

Other work

In 2002 she was a contestant on Celebrity Weakest Link and in 2004 she took part in the ITV game show Simply the Best, where she represented Leeds in a head-to-head tournament with other British Cities. She then spent a year presenting a show called "Soap Addicts" on satellite, and then a year in the stage comedy "Just Desserts" touring the UK .

In 2006 she appeared on Five TVs "The All Star Talent Show", coming fifth as a Fire Eater . She is due to star as the Fairy during Christmas 2007, in "Sleeping Beauty" at the Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth .

Burrows entered late into the 2006 series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! on day seven. She was found hanging from a tight rope and had to be rescued as part of the trial by Matt Willis and Lauren Booth. On her first night she had to sleep in a hammock, and fell out of it. She took part in several "Bushtrucker trials" most notably one dubbed "Skyscrape". Burrows and fellow contestant Myleene Klass were required to clamber on to a seesaw platform 200ft above the jungle floor and take turns to collect corresponding flags hanging off the edges of the platform. Each pair of flags, collected in numerical order, equalled a much needed meal for camp.

Malandra was the 6th celebrity to be evicted in a head-to-head with Dean Gaffney.

Personal life

Burrows first name, Malandra, is a portmanteau of her parents' names, Malcolm and Sandra.

Burrows lives near Leeds at present , and her tabloid publicised list of ex-admirers includes Darren Day, also her Emmerdale co-star Ian Sharrock who played her first husband Jackie Merrick . Also dated David Gest, as revealed on Gest's fly on the wall ITV show and on many websites, Burrows is also a Liverpool F.C. supporter.

External links

• Malandra Burrows at the Internet Movie Database
• Interview post leaving Emmerdale