Amanda Holden

Amanda Louise Holden (born 16 February 1971) is an English media personality, actress and singer.

Holden's first television appearance was as a contestant on the game show Blind Date in 1991.

In 1997, she was a cast member of pioneering Channel 5 sketch show, "We Know Where You Live" alongside Simon Pegg, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Ella Kenion, Fiona Allen and Jeremy Fowlds.

Holden's other TV credits include three series of the comedy Kiss Me Kate with Caroline Quentin and Chris Langham, three series of ITV's The Grimleys, one series of Mad About Alice, Celeb with Harry Enfield, BBC series Hearts and Bones with Damian Lewis, the Jonathan Creek episode "The Problem at Gallowes Gate", and a Boxing Day special Agatha Christie's Marple episode "4.50 From Paddington" opposite Geraldine McEwan and John Hannah.

She co-starred with Bill Nighy and Tom Courtenay in Ready When You Are, Mr. McGill, a comedy drama by Jack Rosenthal.

Holden is a judge on Britain's Got Talent along with Simon Cowell, Bruno Tonioli, and Alesha Dixon.

Her acting credits on television include The Grimleys (1998–2001), Kiss Me Kate (1999–2001), Cutting It (2002–2004), Wild at Heart (2006–2008), and Big Top (2009).

She played the title role in the musical stage show Thoroughly Modern Millie in 2004, for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award.

From 2006 to 2008, Holden appeared as Sarah Trevanian in three series of ITV's Wild at Heart co-starring Stephen Tompkinson.

Since 2007, she has been a judge on the television talent show competition Britain's Got Talent on ITV.

She also co-hosts the national Heart Breakfast radio show with Jamie Theakston on weekday mornings.

Holden grew up in Bishop's Waltham and took an interest in acting and musical theatre while at school.

She joined the show in 2007.

She has appeared on British series such as Smack the Pony, EastEnders, Hearts and Bones, and Cutting It.

Holden has also presented various television shows for ITV, including The Sun Military Awards (2009–2014), Superstar (2012), This Morning (2014–2015, 2017), Text Santa (2015), and Give a Pet a Home (2015).

In 2009, Holden appeared as Lizzie, the Ring Mistress, in the BBC circus sitcom Big Top.

In April 2009 it was reported the US network CBS had offered Holden a job as one-time guest presenter on The Early Show, a daytime talk show.

On 1 June 2009 she appeared with regular presenters Harry Smith and Maggie Rodriguez.

Holden has since signed with CBS as a British correspondent for The Early Show.

From 2009 until 2014 Holden co-presented A Night of Heroes: The Sun Military Awards annually on ITV with Phillip Schofield.

In January 2010 she presented her own three-part series, Amanda Holden's Fantasy Lives, in which she tried out three of her dream jobs.

In 2010, Holden co-presented The Door with Chris Tarrant.

In 2011, Holden narrated the documentary The Nation's Favourite Bee Gees Song on ITV.

On 6 July 2012 Holden guest presented an episode of Lorraine, standing in for Lorraine Kelly.

In 2012, Holden presented talent show Superstar on ITV.

In 2013, Holden released her autobiography book, No Holding Back, which became a Sunday Times bestseller.

On 24 March 2014 she hosted an episode of the Channel 4 show Dispatches about the treatment for stillbirths and miscarriages.

From 22 September to 18 December 2014, Holden filled in as a co-host on This Morning with Phillip Schofield during Holly Willoughby's maternity leave.

She took a short break in January and February 2015 to record the Britain's Got Talent auditions.

Christine Lampard stood in for Holden during this time, before the latter returned to the show from 2 March until 17 July 2015.

The series aired in April and May 2015.

On 18 December 2015 Holden was part of the presenting team for ITV's Christmas telethon Text Santa.

She returned to guest present six further episodes of the show from 4 to 8 April and on 4 July 2016.

In 2016 she presented I've Got Something To Tell You, a factual series for the W television channel.

She returned to This Morning in 2017, to co-present numerous episodes with Ben Shephard.

Holden presented a six-part factual series for ITV called Give a Pet a Home, which worked alongside the RSPCA finding homes for animals.

In 2020, she released her debut studio album, Songs from My Heart, which reached the top 5 on the UK Albums Chart.

Holden was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire and spent much of her childhood in Bishop's Waltham, and aged nine she joined Bishop's Waltham Little Theatre Company.

She attended the secondary community school Swanmore College.

At age 16, she relocated to Bournemouth, before moving to South London to attend Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.