Amanda Burton

Amanda Burton (born 10 October 1956) is an award-winning actress from Northern Ireland. Burton is best known for her high-profile television roles as Karen Fisher in Waterloo Road (BBC), Sam Ryan in the BBC crime drama series Silent Witness, Clare Blake in The Commander, Beth Glover in Peak Practice, and Heather Black in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside.

Early years

Burton was born in Derry, Northern Ireland. She is the youngest of four girls. Her father was a primary school headmaster.^[1] After attending the Londonderry High School (now part of Foyle and Londonderry College) she moved to England at 18 where she spent three years studying drama at the Manchester Metropolitan School of Theatre.^[1] Whilst there she met theatre technician Jonathan Hartley, whom she married when she was 20.

Career

Although best known for her television roles, Burton had worked almost exclusively in the theatre prior to landing the role of Heather Black in Channel 4's Liverpool-based flagship drama series Brookside. After nearly four years in the role, during which time Heather had become one of the show's most-popular residents of Brookside Close, she began to lose sympathy with her character and decided to leave. Following her departure her television work consisted mainly of guest appearances, with parts in a number of peak-time drama series including Minder, Inspector Morse, Boon, Medics, Van Der Valk, Stay Lucky, and Lovejoy.

In 1993 Burton starred alongside Kevin Whately in Peak Practice. She played the role of Doctor Beth Glover in the medical drama series, based in Derbyshire's Peak District, for three series until her departure in 1995. In 1996 she then took the main role of Professor Sam Ryan in the highly acclaimed BBC drama Silent Witness, she held this role until 2004.

After Silent Witness, Burton also took on the role of Prosecutor Helen West in a series based on Frances Fyfield's novels. She also played Aunt Polly in a 2003 remake of Pollyanna. One of her most recent roles is as Commander Clare Blake in Lynda La Plante's drama The Commander.

In 2010, Burton appeared in the sixth series of BBC drama Waterloo Road as new Head Teacher, Karen Fisher^[2],and departed in 2011.^[3]

Notable roles

Film

• Bronson (2009) … Mum (director: Nicolas Winding Refn)

Television

• Brookside … Heather Huntingdon/Haversham/Black; 1982–86, Channel 4
• Inspector Morse … Mirella Lunghi in "The Settling of the Sun"; 15 March 1988, ITV
• Boon … Margaret Daly, 1988–89, ITV
• Medics … Vikki in "Jessica"; 1990, ITV
• A Casualty of War … Nicola; 1990
• The Storyteller: Greek Myths … Aithra; 1990
• Van der Valk … Elly van Roekel in "Doctor Hoffmann's Children"; 1991, ITV
• Lovejoy … Bonnie Wright in "Kids"; 15 March 1992, BBC One
• Stay Lucky … Jane Higgs in "The Food of Love"; 1992, ITV
• Peak Practice … Dr. Beth Glover/Kerruish; 1993–1995, ITV
• Silent Witness … Sam Ryan; 21 February 1996 – 6 September 2004, BBC One
• The Precious Blood … Rosie Willis; 1996
• The Gift … Lynn, 1998
• Forgotten … Rachel Monroe (alias Carla Hayden); 1999
• Little Bird … Rachel Lewis; 2000
• The Whistle-Blower … Laura Tracey; 2001
• Helen West … Helen West; 2002
• Dinotopia … Rosemary; 2002
• Pollyanna … Aunt Polly; 2003
• The Commander … Commander Clare Blake; 2003–08
• Marple … Sister Clotilde in "Nemesis"; 1 January 2009, ITV1
• Waterloo Road … Karen Fisher; 2010 - 2011, BBC One
• Saturday Kitchen ... Guest Appearance; 26th February 2011, BBC One
• Rivers Run ... Diane Holmes 2011, BBC One
• Waterloo Road … Karen Fisher; 2013 BBC One
• Waterloo Road … Karen Fisher; 2014 BBC One

References and notes

External links

• Amanda Burton at the Internet Movie Database
• Burton provides the voiceover to a short film for UK children's charity The Children's Trust, Tadworth