Kate Duchêne
Born
Catherine Anne Purves Duchêne

(1959-01-05) 5 January 1959
Plaistow, London, England
OccupationActress
Years active1987present
Notable workThe Worst Witch (19982001)
Afterlife (20052006)
PartnerRobert Hickson
Children2

Kate Duchêne (/dˈʃɛn/, born Catherine Anne Purves Duchêne; 5 January 1959) is an English actress best known for her role as the teacher Miss Hardbroom in the adaptation of the children's books The Worst Witch.

Career

Duchêne started to act at the age of 14. She studied French and Spanish at Trinity College, Cambridge in the 1980s, where she became a member of the Footlights theatre group, writing and performing her own material.[1] She also acted with the Cambridge Mummers, appearing in such plays as Measure For Measure (as Isabella) in Cambridge and the Edinburgh Fringe. In the 1980s she joined the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, appearing in the premiere productions of Losing Venice and The White Rose. Since 2000 she has appeared frequently at the National Theatre in London, frequently working with director Katie Mitchell.

She briefly went to Spain, teaching English to children, and returned in 1986.

Television

Duchêne is best known for her work as Miss Constance Hardbroom, the strict "deputy head and potions teacher" on the popular TV series The Worst Witch. She stayed with the programme for its three-year run, and appeared in the first episode of its 2001 spinoff Weirdsister College but did not return for the second spinoff, The New Worst Witch (2005–2006). Later projects included Afterlife, a paranormal drama series, and extensive theatre work.

Radio

From October 1987 to July 1991, Duchêne played Alex Parker in BBC Radio 4's drama series Citizens. In 2013 she guest-starred in the final Series 4 episode of Cabin Pressure, playing a captain in the service of a Zurich-based airline.

Private life

Duchêne spent her infancy in France, and was brought back to England permanently in 1962, residing in the seaside town of Brighton. Her partner is Robert Hickson. As of 2010, they have 2 children.[1]

Filmography

Title Year Role Notes
Miss Marple
1987
Rose Episode 7 – "At Bertram's Hotel"
Boon
1987
Pregnant Lady Series 2, Episode 11 – "Paper Mafia"
The Tall Guy
1989
Old Girlfriend Feature film
A Sense of Guilt
1990
Marsha Hinde Series 1 – Episodes 3 & 5
This Is David Harper
1990
Caroline Jones Episode 1
The Bill
1996
Helen Palmer Series 12, Episode 134 – "Trust Me"
Kiss Me Kate
1998
Lesley Series 1, Episode 2 – "Mike"
Series 1, Episode 3 – "Calendar"
Out of Hours
1998
Sue Craven Episode 2
Calendar Girls
1999
Short film
Peak Practice
1999
Jenny Ryan Series 8, Episode 5 – "Buying Time"
The Bill
2000
Laura Series 16, Episode 11 – "On the Wagon"
Midsomer Murders
2000
Jane Bennett Series 4, Episode 1 – "Garden of Death"
The Worst Witch
19982001
Miss Constance Hardbroom Lead role
Series 14 – 52 episodes
Weirdsister College
2001
Miss Constance Hardbroom Sequel to The Worst Witch
Series 1, Episode 1 – "The All-Seeing Eye"
Monsieur N.
2003
Madame Balcombe Feature film
Casualty
2004
Debbie Hansell Series 18, Episode 32 – "Forget Me Not"
Family Affairs
2005
Carrie Lawson Episodes 2222 & 2223
Afterlife
20052006
Barbara Sinyard Lead role
Series 1 & 2 – 13 episodes
An Education
2009
Latin Teacher Feature film
All Good Children
2010
Lynne Feature film
Foyle's War
2013
Helen Fraser Series 7, Episode 1 – "The Eternity Ring"
Doctors
2013
Sarah Jones Episode 2502 – "The Girl Next Door"
Roxane 2019 Wendy French movie

References


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