Vicki Michelle

Vicki Michelle (born 14 December 1950) is an English actress, radio presenter, businesswoman, film producer and former model.

She is best known for her role as Yvette Carte-Blanche in the BBC television comedy series 'Allo 'Allo! and as recurring character Patricia Foster in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale.

She followed this with an uncredited appearance dancing at a party in The Haunted House of Horror (1969), and a role in the play Play It Again, Sam with Dudley Moore in the West End from 1969 to 1970.

She also appeared regularly in the 1970s children's BBC TV series Crackerjack.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Michelle worked as a glamour model and a pin-up model.

Throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, Michelle appeared alongside some of the UK's most famous and favourite comedians such as Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett, Les Dawson, Dick Emery, Kenny Everett, Cannon and Ball, Little and Large, Ken Dodd, Bobby Davro and Lenny Henry.

She also had a starring role alongside her sister Ann in the horror film Virgin Witch (1972) before appearing with Joan Collins in Alfie Darling (1975), the sequel to Alfie (1966).

Michelle then had three separate female-lead roles in three different episodes of Softly, Softly: Task Force and appeared as Terry Collier's girlfriend in Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? in 1974.

Michelle then appeared in big-screen versions of popular English sitcoms The Likely Lads (1976) as a hitch-hiker with Penny Irving and George and Mildred (1980) as a girl in bed with the vicar.

In 1976, she had a role in the popular The Two Ronnies sketch "The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town".

In 1978, Michelle starred in the film The Greek Tycoon opposite Anthony Quinn; Michelle's role was initially larger than that in the finished film as Quinn personally asked the producers to reduce the size of Michelle's part thinking that her good looks and bright costume would detract the audience's attention from him.

After this, Michelle had a small role as a French robot maid in the sitcom Come Back Mrs. Noah which was written by David Croft and played Bodie's girlfriend in an episode of the hard-hitting police drama The Professionals.

Following a part in Minder, in which she played Sarah Jane in the episode Don't Tell Them Willie Boy Was Here, Michelle had a regular role as Sandra, Les Dawson's secretary, in the comedy sketch show The Dawson Watch from 1979 to 1980.

In 1980, she had a recurring role in another famous The Two Ronnies sketch in which she played a state policewoman under the rule of a dystopian female leader played by Diana Dors.

Although the late sixties and seventies gave her success, Michelle gained significant attention, particularly in Ireland, after appearing as Sally O'Brien in a string of high-profile adverts for Harp Lager in the early 1980s.

The slogan "Sally O'Brien and the way she might look at you" became synonymous with the company and brought Michelle to viewers' attention.

There was a small outcry when it was revealed that the actress that played Sally O'Brien was in fact English, not Irish.

Following on from this success, Michelle played the part of Millie in Priest of Love (1981) alongside Ava Gardner, John Gielgud and Ian McKellen before appearing in a second episode of The Professionals, in which she played Tina, the girlfriend of an organised crime boss played by John Junkin in the episode The Untouchables.

However, Michelle's big break was when she was offered the part of Yvette Carte-Blanche in the popular BBC sitcom 'Allo 'Allo!, produced and written by David Croft.

Croft had remembered Michelle playing the French maid robot in an episode of his previous sitcom Come Back Mrs. Noah and offered her the role.

Michelle played Yvette in all eighty-five episodes of the series from 1982 to 1992 as well as reprising the role in numerous stage plays based on the series.

Although she was achieving high success, Michelle maintained a successful acting career alongside 'Allo, 'Allo!, and had roles in The Last Days of Pompeii, Cannon and Ball, The Little and Large Show and two episodes of the successful department store sitcom Are You Being Served? which was also written by David Croft.

Michelle also appeared as Betty, a Cockney barmaid, in three episodes of The Kenny Everett Television Show.

In 1985, Michelle toured in a production of Doctor in the House with Robin Askwith, Frazer Hines and Windsor Davies.

After 'Allo, 'Allo! ended in 1992, Michelle went straight into another main role in Noel's House Party as Noel Edmonds's man-eating neighbour.

In 1996, Michelle played Lucy Westenra in a production of Dracula alongside Leslie Grantham in the title role.

She would play this role until 1997, wherein she had a guest role in two episodes of Gayle's World playing a fictional version of herself as a leader of a group of leather-clad women bearing whips named the Killer Bimbos.

Following a small role in Space: 1999, Michelle starred in the films Queen Kong (1976), The Sentinel (1977) and Spectre with John Hurt before appearing in an episode of The Goodies as a nurse.

After having a part in the comedy film The Colour of Funny in 1999, Michelle auditioned for the role of Deedee Dove, the wife of Ray Winstone in the film Sexy Beast (2000).

Although unsuccessful, as the role went to Amanda Redman, Winstone would remember Michelle.

In 2001, Michelle played Miss Hannigan in a touring production of Annie; she would reprise the role in various tours of the production in 2005 and 2007.

In 2014, she appeared on the fourteenth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here.

The eldest of four daughters, Michelle was born in Chigwell, Essex.

Her father Joseph was a fish trader at Billingsgate Fish Market and her mother Shirley an actress.

One of her sisters is the actress and writer Ann Michelle.

While her parents were at work, they employed an au-pair girl to look after Michelle and her three sisters; the girl they employed was future Hollywood actress Elke Sommer.

Michelle attended Knewnham Junior School in Wanstead and then West Hatch Technical High School.

After O-levels she stayed on at school to complete a secretarial course.

Hoping to become a ballet dancer, she joined the Aida Foster stage school.

Michelle was given small television roles while still at stage school, the first being in Dixon of Dock Green.