Kay Purcell
Purcell as Gina Conway in Tracy Beaker Returns
Born(1963-12-06)6 December 1963
Leyland, Lancashire, England
Died23 December 2020(2020-12-23) (aged 57)
Lancashire, England
OccupationActress
Years active1993–2020
TelevisionEmmerdale
Waterloo Road
Tracy Beaker Returns
The Dumping Ground
So Awkward
Children3

Kay Purcell (6 December 1963 – 23 December 2020)[1][2] was an English actress. She was best known for portraying the roles of Cynthia Daggert in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale (2001–2002), Candice Smilie in the BBC school-based drama series Waterloo Road (2007–2009), and Gina Conway in the CBBC drama series Tracy Beaker Returns (2010–2012) and its spin-off series The Dumping Ground (2013). From 2015 to 2017, she appeared as Mrs. Rennison in the CBBC sitcom So Awkward.[3][4]

Career

Purcell's first acting role was as a TV reporter in the TV series Cracker in 1995. She then later starred in Coronation Street as Rhona Summers for 3 episodes in 1997. She appeared as Jenny in the TV series City Central. In 1998 and 2000, she starred in the BBC One series Casualty. In 1998 she played WDC McCarthy, and in 2000 played Diane Abley. Later in 2000, she starred in the TV series Children's Ward as Winsome. Her first major role was as Cynthia Daggert in ITV's Emmerdale. She starred in 188 episodes from 2001 to 2002. Her next major role was in Bernard's Watch from 2004 to 2005, as Ms. Savage for 21 episodes. Purcell played a supporting role in BBC's Waterloo Road as Bolton Smilie's mum Candice Smilie from 2007 to 2009. She played the role of Gina Conway in Tracy Beaker Returns for three series, as well as the first series of the spin-off series The Dumping Ground.

Illness and death

In early 2017, Purcell was diagnosed with breast cancer.[5] Purcell posted images, videos and blogs on social media to show her own experience of the disease.[6] In early 2020, Purcell was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer and was given a life expectancy of two years.[7] She died from metastatic breast cancer which had spread to her liver on 23 December 2020, aged 57.[2]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1995CrackerTV ReporterEpisode: "True Romance: Part 2"
1996–1998EmmerdaleCarmel MorganRecurring role; 9 episodes
1997Coronation StreetRhona Summers3 episodes
1998CasualtyWDC McCarthyEpisode: "Taking Sides"
1999City CentralJennyEpisode: "Paradise Lost"
My Parents Are AliensMrs. WilliamsEpisode: "The Home Team"
2000CasualtyDiane AbleyEpisode: "Fall Out"
Children's WardWinsomeSeries 12: Episode 8
2001–2002EmmerdaleCynthia DaggertRegular role; 188 episodes
2003Holby CityHeather NixonEpisode: "Read My Lips"
2004–2005Bernard's WatchMs. SavageMain role; 21 episodes
2004Sex Lives of the Potato MenGloriaFilm
2005MessiahProf UhomiEpisodes: "The Harrowing: Parts 1–3"
DoctorsMrs. Jane Manners2 episodes
2006IdealAliceEpisode: "The Delivery"
My Parents Are AliensMrs. Brookman3 episodes
2007–2009Waterloo RoadCandice SmilieMain role; 24 episodes
2010–2012Tracy Beaker ReturnsGina ConwayAll 39 episodes
2011–2012Tracy Beaker Survival FilesMain role
2012Hacker TimeHerselfEpisode: "Connor Byrne and Kay Purcell"
2013The Dumping GroundGina ConwayMain role; 13 episodes
2014–2016Hacker TimeMrs. Breadbin13 episodes
2015–2017So AwkwardMrs. RennisonMain role; 25 episodes
2016Sunny DBarbaraEpisode: "D Is for Declarations"
2020When It RainsSonia5 episodes
2021DoctorsMo LarkinEpisode: "Of Mice and Women"; posthumous release

Theatre

References

  1. ↑ Purcell, Kay (5 December 2018). "My thoughts. My Journey. My Story with Cancer". Facebook. Retrieved 13 September 2018. Tomorrow is my birthday
  2. 1 2 "Kay Purcell of Emmerdale and Tracy Beaker Returns dies at 57". BBC News. 24 December 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  3. ↑ "Tracey Beaker Returns Star Kay Purcell's Wicked Role in Doncaster Panto". Doncaster Free Press (Doncaster, England) (subscription required). 26 September 2012. Archived from the original on 20 February 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  4. ↑ "Kay's back home for Christmas". Lancashire Post. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  5. ↑ "TV star Kay Purcell courageously shares her cancer journey". Blog Preston. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  6. ↑ "Kay Purcell: My Story". Facebook.
  7. ↑ "Kay Purcell - Facebook". Facebook.
  8. ↑ "THEATRE: Everybody Knows All Birds Have Wings; Pleasance, London". The Independent. 3 February 1997. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  9. ↑ Theatre Record. I. Herbert. 1 January 1997. pp. 128–129.
  10. ↑ "Hidden truths of hormonal housewives tick all the right boxes". Grimsby Telegraph. Archived from the original on 23 December 2015. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  11. ↑ "Theatre review: Hormonal Housewives, Festival Theatre". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  12. ↑ "Review: Rapunzel, York Barbican". York Press. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  13. ↑ "REVIEW: Sleeping Beauty pantomime at Southport Theatre, by Nicola Kenyon". South Port Visiter. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  14. ↑ Riley, Joe (16 December 2014). "SLEEPING BEAUTYSouthport Theatre; Review". Liverpool Echo (Liverpool, England) (subscription required). Archived from the original on 20 February 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  15. ↑ "Pantomime Reviews: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Mother Goose and Snow White". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
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