Freema Agyeman
Encyclopedia
Freema Agyeman (ˈfriːmə ˈɑːɡjəmən, born Frema Agyeman on 20 March 1979) is a British actress who is best known for playing Martha Jones
, former companion
of the Tenth Doctor
in the BBC
science fiction
television series Doctor Who
, and its
spin-off
series Torchwood
. She currently holds a lead regular role as crown prosecutor Alesha Phillips in ITV
's Law & Order: UK.
and her father, Osei, is Ghanaian. They divorced when she was a child. She has an older sister, Leila, and a younger brother, Dominic. Despite her mother being a Muslim
and her father a Methodist
, Agyeman grew up to be a practicing Roman Catholic. She attended Our Lady's Convent RC High School
, a Catholic school
in Stamford Hill
and during the summer of 1996 she studied at the Anna Scher Theatre School in Islington
. She studied performing arts and drama at Middlesex University
, graduating in 2000. She has martial arts skills, which prompted speculation that she would bring a more physical approach to the role of the Doctor's companion. The tattoo
she has on her upper arm is symbolic of her ancestry, containing an Iranian word "raha", meaning "free", under an image of a butterfly
.
She endorses Divine Chocolate, a fairtrade corporation that works with Ghanaian cocoa farmers.
Before securing the part of Martha Jones, Agyeman's most famous television role was playing the character of Lola Wise in the revived series of ITV
soap opera
Crossroads. She also had small guest roles in other TV series such as Casualty
, Mile High
and The Bill
, in which she appeared in on two occasions as two separate characters. In 2005, she played Mary Ogden, a scene of crime officer, in an episode of Silent Witness
. She starred as the character Nana in the independent film Rulers and Dealers, written and directed by Stephen Lloyd Jackson.
", but was ultimately unsuccessful, losing out to Anita Briem
, who better fit the production team's concept of the character as an "ice cool blonde". She later auditioned for the roles of Esme and Adeola Oshodi, in the "Rise of the Cybermen
"/"The Age of Steel
" and "Army of Ghosts
", respectively. Esme was ultimately cut from the final script, but Agyeman was successful in her audition for Adeola. She filmed her role in the series in December 2005 and appeared on screen as Adeola on 1 July 2006.
The production team were impressed by the versatility shown by Agyeman across her three auditions and called her back as a serious candidate for the new companion. She attended another audition (ostensibly for an episode of Torchwood) and the production team remained impressed. The next step was to take a screen-test with the Tenth Doctor
actor, David Tennant
. Tennant left a reassuring note under the door of Agyeman's hotel room, and this helped calm any nerves the actress had. She was ultimately successful and received notice of her success in February 2006. Following months of speculation on who would replace Billie Piper
, Freema was confirmed to the press as new companion Martha Jones on 5 July 2006.
Agyeman began filming for the third series in August 2006 and finished in March 2007. She made her screen debut as Martha Jones on 31 March 2007 in the episode "Smith and Jones
". Martha's physical similarity to Adeola Oshodi was explained as Martha being Adeola's cousin. Agyeman continued to portray the character Martha Jones throughout every episode of the 2007 series.
Despite her character's departure from the TARDIS
in the 2007 season finale "Last of the Time Lords
", Agyeman returned as Martha in series 4
for five episodes, which consisted of "The Sontaran Stratagem
", "The Poison Sky
", "The Doctor's Daughter
", "The Stolen Earth
" and "Journey's End
". She guest-presented Blue Peter
on 24 June 2008 to promote the Doctor Who finale.
Following Martha's departure with Captain Jack Harkness
at the end of the Series 4 finale it was unsure what her future in the Doctor Who universe
would hold. However, Freema has said in various interviews that she would like to continue playing Martha Jones. Agyeman returned to the series along with several other former cast members to mark David Tennant's final appearance and wrap up Martha's story, with the news that she had married character Mickey Smith.
Freema Agyeman has read abridged audio book
adaptations of five of the Doctor Who New Series Adventures novels featuring Martha Jones, namely The Last Dodo
, Wetworld
, The Pirate Loop
, Martha in the Mirror
and The Story of Martha
.
In between series three and series four of Doctor Who, Agyeman appeared in three episodes of series 2 of Doctor Who spin off Torchwood
, namely "Reset
", "Dead Man Walking
" and "A Day in the Death
". She also had a starring role in the Torchwood radio play, Lost Souls
, broadcast on BBC Radio Four on the 10th of September 2008 to promote the turning on of the Large Hadron Collider at the CERN
research facility. It was later revealed by Torchwood: Children of Earth director Euros Lyn
that the production team had intended for Agyeman to appear in that production, but she was already committed to Law and Order: UK. However, in a video interview conducted at the Law and Order: UK press launch, Agyeman does not rule out a return to Torchwood, stating that "it's always a possibility." Torchwood creator and head writer Russell T Davies, also responsible for Doctor Who, subsequently affirmed that he would be open to casting Agyeman in Series Four of Torchwood, should a fourth series happen.
reading the story broadcast shortly before 7pm. She narrated the first series of BBC Three
's hospital documentary
series Bizarre ER
which ran from 14 February 2008 to 3 April 2008 and also provided the narration for a second series which began airing on Tuesday 21 April 2009. She hosted a Doctor Who-themed portion
of the BBC Proms on 27 July. A one hour cut-down version of the prom made its TV début on BBC1, New Year's Day 2009.
On 25 April 2008, Agyeman appeared on The Paul O'Grady Show
. She made another appearance on the show on 26 March 2009.
She played foundling girl Tattycoram in the Emmy Award
winning 2008 BBC adaptation
of Charles Dickens
' Little Dorrit
, which began transmitting on the 26th October 2008, starring alongside her fellow Torchwood
stars Eve Myles
and Ruth Jones
. Some of Agyeman's scenes for the first episode were shot in the grounds of Deal Castle
, Kent, which doubled for Marseille
, France
. Agyeman was delighted to have appeared in Little Dorrit, as it had always been a dream of hers to appear in a period drama. In 2008 Agyeman also appeared in Survivors
, a BBC 1 remake of the cult 1970s TV series, as Jenny Walsh (surname originally reported to be Collins), although her character was killed off in the first episode in a shock twist despite featuring prominently in promotional materials for the series.
Since 2009 she has starred as crown prosecutor Alesha Phillips in Law & Order: UK, a spin-off from the popular US Law & Order franchise
. Agyeman is a self-professed "massive fan" of the original Law & Order
series, especially Seasons 3 and 4. In preparation for the role, Agyeman sat in on live trials, toured the Old Bailey
, and conferred with her law-degree holding sister, Leila: "She's great and really patient at explaining things to laymen, because I was coming at it completely blind. She's been a good source."
, held on 15 October 2007 at the Hilton Metropole in London.
The Observer
had an interview with Agyeman in December 2007 and named her as a "face of 2007".
In 2007, she was one of the top four nominations for best actress in the National Television Awards
, for playing Martha Jones in the 2007 series of Doctor Who. She was also nominated for Best Actress in the TV Quick Awards the same year for her role in Doctor Who. She has since been longlisted for the 2010 National Television Awards for best dramatic performance for her role as crown prosecutor Alesha Phillips.
In 2009 she was also put forward as a nomination for best actress at the Birmingham Black International Film Festival's Music, Video and Screen Awards (MVSAs).
Martha Jones
Martha Jones is a fictional character played by Freema Agyeman in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spin-off series, Torchwood. She is a companion of the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who, replacing Rose Tyler...
, former companion
Companion (Doctor Who)
In the long-running BBC television science fiction programme Doctor Who and related works, the term "companion" refers to a character who travels with, and shares the adventures of the Doctor. In most Doctor Who stories, the primary companion acts as both deuteragonist and audience surrogate...
of the Tenth Doctor
Tenth Doctor
The Tenth Doctor is the tenth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He is played by David Tennant, who appears in three series, as well as eight specials...
in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, and its
spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
series Torchwood
Torchwood
Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
. She currently holds a lead regular role as crown prosecutor Alesha Phillips in ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's Law & Order: UK.
Background and personal life
Her mother, Azar, is IranianIranian peoples
The Iranian peoples are an Indo-European ethnic-linguistic group, consisting of the speakers of Iranian languages, a major branch of the Indo-European language family, as such forming a branch of Indo-European-speaking peoples...
and her father, Osei, is Ghanaian. They divorced when she was a child. She has an older sister, Leila, and a younger brother, Dominic. Despite her mother being a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
and her father a Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
, Agyeman grew up to be a practicing Roman Catholic. She attended Our Lady's Convent RC High School
Our Lady's Convent RC High School
Our Lady's Convent RC Modern Languages College High School, is a Roman Catholic secondary school situated in Stamford Hill, in the London Borough of Hackney.-History:...
, a Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
in Stamford Hill
Stamford Hill
Stamford Hill is a place in the north of the London Borough of Hackney, England, near the border with Haringey. It is home to Europe's largest Hasidic Jewish and Adeni Jewish community.Stamford Hill is NNE of Charing Cross.-History:...
and during the summer of 1996 she studied at the Anna Scher Theatre School in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
. She studied performing arts and drama at Middlesex University
Middlesex University
Middlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the post-1992 universities and is a member of Million+ working group...
, graduating in 2000. She has martial arts skills, which prompted speculation that she would bring a more physical approach to the role of the Doctor's companion. The tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
she has on her upper arm is symbolic of her ancestry, containing an Iranian word "raha", meaning "free", under an image of a butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
.
She endorses Divine Chocolate, a fairtrade corporation that works with Ghanaian cocoa farmers.
Early career
When Agyeman began her professional acting career, she chose to use a different spelling of her birth name, Frema, as her professional name, to avoid pronunciation problems.Before securing the part of Martha Jones, Agyeman's most famous television role was playing the character of Lola Wise in the revived series of ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Crossroads. She also had small guest roles in other TV series such as Casualty
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
, Mile High
Mile High
Mile High is a British television drama based on the lives of the cabin crew members of "fresh!", a budget airline based in London. The name of the show comes from the "Mile High Club". The show was broadcast on Sky1 from 2003 to 2005.-Background:...
and The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
, in which she appeared in on two occasions as two separate characters. In 2005, she played Mary Ogden, a scene of crime officer, in an episode of Silent Witness
Silent Witness
Silent Witness is a BBC crime thriller series focusing on a team of forensic pathology experts and their investigations into various crimes. First broadcast in February 1996, the series is still airing to the present day, with a fifteenth series expected to air in January 2012. The series was...
. She starred as the character Nana in the independent film Rulers and Dealers, written and directed by Stephen Lloyd Jackson.
Doctor Who (2006-2010)
Agyeman auditioned for three roles in the 2006 series of Doctor Who. On 24 June 2005, she auditioned for the part of Sally Jacobs in "The Christmas InvasionThe Christmas Invasion
"The Christmas Invasion" is a 60-minute special episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is Christmas, but there is little cause for celebration as planet Earth is invaded by aliens known as the Sycorax...
", but was ultimately unsuccessful, losing out to Anita Briem
Anita Briem
Anita Briem is an Icelandic actress. She is known for her role as Jane Seymour on The Tudors and her role as Hanna in Journey to the Center of the Earth.-Personal life:...
, who better fit the production team's concept of the character as an "ice cool blonde". She later auditioned for the roles of Esme and Adeola Oshodi, in the "Rise of the Cybermen
Rise of the Cybermen
"Rise of the Cybermen" is an episode in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The episode features the return of Cybermen, where they are created on Earth itself. It is the first part of a two-part story, the concluding part being "The Age of Steel"...
"/"The Age of Steel
The Age of Steel
"The Age of Steel" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on 20 May 2006 and is the second part of a two-part story that was the first to feature the Cybermen since Silver Nemesis in 1988. The first part, "Rise of the Cybermen", was...
" and "Army of Ghosts
Army of Ghosts
"Army of Ghosts" is the twelfth and penultimate episode in the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who which was first broadcast on 1 July 2006...
", respectively. Esme was ultimately cut from the final script, but Agyeman was successful in her audition for Adeola. She filmed her role in the series in December 2005 and appeared on screen as Adeola on 1 July 2006.
The production team were impressed by the versatility shown by Agyeman across her three auditions and called her back as a serious candidate for the new companion. She attended another audition (ostensibly for an episode of Torchwood) and the production team remained impressed. The next step was to take a screen-test with the Tenth Doctor
Tenth Doctor
The Tenth Doctor is the tenth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He is played by David Tennant, who appears in three series, as well as eight specials...
actor, David Tennant
David Tennant
David Tennant is a Scottish actor. In addition to his work in theatre, including a widely praised Hamlet, Tennant is best known for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, along with the title role in the 2005 TV serial Casanova and as Barty Crouch, Jr...
. Tennant left a reassuring note under the door of Agyeman's hotel room, and this helped calm any nerves the actress had. She was ultimately successful and received notice of her success in February 2006. Following months of speculation on who would replace Billie Piper
Billie Piper
Billie Paul Piper is an English singer and actress.She began her career in the late 1990s as a pop singer and then switched to acting. She started in acting and dancing and was talent spotted at the Sylvia Young stage school by Smash Hits magazine who wanted a "face" for their magazine...
, Freema was confirmed to the press as new companion Martha Jones on 5 July 2006.
Agyeman began filming for the third series in August 2006 and finished in March 2007. She made her screen debut as Martha Jones on 31 March 2007 in the episode "Smith and Jones
Smith and Jones (Doctor Who)
"Smith and Jones" is the first episode of the third series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 31 March 2007. It sees the debut of Freema Agyeman as new companion Martha Jones...
". Martha's physical similarity to Adeola Oshodi was explained as Martha being Adeola's cousin. Agyeman continued to portray the character Martha Jones throughout every episode of the 2007 series.
Despite her character's departure from the TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
in the 2007 season finale "Last of the Time Lords
Last of the Time Lords
"Last of the Time Lords" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 30 June 2007, and is the thirteenth and final episode of Series 3 of the revived Doctor Who series...
", Agyeman returned as Martha in series 4
Doctor Who (series 4)
The fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who began on 25 December 2007 with the Christmas special "Voyage of the Damned". Following the special, a regular series of thirteen episodes aired, starting with "Partners in Crime" on 5 April 2008 and ending with "Journey's End"...
for five episodes, which consisted of "The Sontaran Stratagem
The Sontaran Stratagem
"The Sontaran Stratagem" is the fourth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 26 April 2008...
", "The Poison Sky
The Poison Sky
"The Poison Sky" is the fifth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 3 May 2008. The episode features both former companion Martha Jones and the alien Sontarans...
", "The Doctor's Daughter
The Doctor's Daughter
"The Doctor's Daughter" is the sixth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 10 May 2008.- Synopsis :...
", "The Stolen Earth
The Stolen Earth
"The Stolen Earth" is the twelfth episode of the fourth series and the 750th overall episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The episode was written by show runner and head writer Russell T Davies and is the first of a two-part crossover story; the concluding episode is...
" and "Journey's End
Journey's End (Doctor Who)
"Journey's End" is the thirteenth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who first broadcast on BBC One on 5 July 2008. It is the second episode of a two-part crossover story featuring the characters of spin-off shows Torchwood and The Sarah Jane...
". She guest-presented Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
on 24 June 2008 to promote the Doctor Who finale.
Following Martha's departure with Captain Jack Harkness
Jack Harkness
Captain Jack Harkness is a fictional character played by John Barrowman in Doctor Who and its spin-off series, Torchwood. He first appeared in the 2005 Doctor Who episode "The Empty Child" and reappeared in the remaining episodes of the 2005 series as a companion of the ninth incarnation of the...
at the end of the Series 4 finale it was unsure what her future in the Doctor Who universe
Whoniverse
Whoniverse, a portmanteau of the words "Who" and "universe", is a word used to describe the fictional setting of the television series Doctor Who, K-9 and Company, Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures and K-9, as well as other related stories...
would hold. However, Freema has said in various interviews that she would like to continue playing Martha Jones. Agyeman returned to the series along with several other former cast members to mark David Tennant's final appearance and wrap up Martha's story, with the news that she had married character Mickey Smith.
Freema Agyeman has read abridged audio book
Audio book
An audiobook or audio book is a recording of a text being read. It is not necessarily an exact audio version of a book or magazine.Spoken audio has been available in schools and public libraries and to a lesser extent in music shops since the 1930s. Many spoken word albums were made prior to the...
adaptations of five of the Doctor Who New Series Adventures novels featuring Martha Jones, namely The Last Dodo
The Last Dodo
Not to be confused with "The Last Dodo" character in the Warner Brothers cartoon Porky in Wackyland, or the musical play by Peter DizozzaThe Last Dodo is a BBC Books original novel written by Jacqueline Rayner and based on the long running science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features...
, Wetworld
Wetworld
Wetworld is a BBC Books original novel written by Mark Michalowski and based on the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones. It was published on the 9 September 2007, alongside Forever Autumn and Sick Building.-Continuity:*References...
, The Pirate Loop
The Pirate Loop
The Pirate Loop is a BBC Books original novel written by Simon Guerrier and based on the long running science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones. It was published on December 26, 2007, alongside Peacemaker and Wishing Well...
, Martha in the Mirror
Martha in the Mirror
Martha in the Mirror is a BBC Books original novel written by Justin Richards and based on the long running science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones...
and The Story of Martha
The Story of Martha
The Story of Martha is a BBC Books original novel written by Dan Abnett with David Roden, Steve Lockley & Paul Lewis, Robert Shearman and Simon Jowett and based on the long running science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones...
.
In between series three and series four of Doctor Who, Agyeman appeared in three episodes of series 2 of Doctor Who spin off Torchwood
Torchwood
Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
, namely "Reset
Reset (Torchwood)
"Reset" is the sixth episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, which was first broadcast by BBC Three on 13 February 2008, immediately after the broadcast of "Adam" on BBC Two...
", "Dead Man Walking
Dead Man Walking (Torchwood)
"Dead Man Walking" is the seventh episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood. It was broadcast by BBC Three and BBC HD on 20 February 2008; it made its terrestrial debut on BBC Two on 27 February.-Synopsis:...
" and "A Day in the Death
A Day in the Death
"A Day in the Death" is the eighth episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, which was broadcast by BBC Three on 27 February 2008...
". She also had a starring role in the Torchwood radio play, Lost Souls
Lost Souls (Torchwood)
"Lost Souls" is an original BBC Radio 4 audio play written by Joseph Lidster and is a spin-off from the British science fiction television series Torchwood, itself a spin-off from Doctor Who. It aired on 10 September 2008 in the Afternoon Play slot as part of Radio 4's Big Bang Day which celebrated...
, broadcast on BBC Radio Four on the 10th of September 2008 to promote the turning on of the Large Hadron Collider at the CERN
CERN
The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border...
research facility. It was later revealed by Torchwood: Children of Earth director Euros Lyn
Euros Lyn
Euros Lyn is a television director. He was born in 1971 and educated at Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera and the University of Manchester.To date, he has directed nine episodes of Doctor Who. He won the BAFTA Cymru award for Best Director for "Silence in the Library" and the 2007 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic...
that the production team had intended for Agyeman to appear in that production, but she was already committed to Law and Order: UK. However, in a video interview conducted at the Law and Order: UK press launch, Agyeman does not rule out a return to Torchwood, stating that "it's always a possibility." Torchwood creator and head writer Russell T Davies, also responsible for Doctor Who, subsequently affirmed that he would be open to casting Agyeman in Series Four of Torchwood, should a fourth series happen.
Career 2008-Present
Agyeman appeared several times on The Bedtime Hour on CBeebiesCBeebies
CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both...
reading the story broadcast shortly before 7pm. She narrated the first series of BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
's hospital documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
series Bizarre ER
Bizarre ER
Bizarre ER is a BBC Three television show that deals with hospital mishaps. It was narrated by Freema Agyeman and is now narrated by Sheridan Smith from Series 4 onwards....
which ran from 14 February 2008 to 3 April 2008 and also provided the narration for a second series which began airing on Tuesday 21 April 2009. She hosted a Doctor Who-themed portion
Doctor Who Prom
Prom 13: Doctor Who Prom was a concert showcasing incidental music from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, along with classical music, performed on 27 July 2008 in the Royal Albert Hall in London as part of the BBC's annual Proms series of concerts...
of the BBC Proms on 27 July. A one hour cut-down version of the prom made its TV début on BBC1, New Year's Day 2009.
On 25 April 2008, Agyeman appeared on The Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show was a BAFTA award-winning British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV before moving to Channel 4...
. She made another appearance on the show on 26 March 2009.
She played foundling girl Tattycoram in the Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
winning 2008 BBC adaptation
Little Dorrit (TV serial)
Little Dorrit is a 2008 British television serial directed by Adam Smith, Dearbhla Walsh, and Diarmuid Lawrence. The teleplay by Andrew Davies is based on the serial novel of the same title by Charles Dickens, originally published between 1855 and 1857....
of Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
' Little Dorrit
Little Dorrit
Little Dorrit is a serial novel by Charles Dickens published originally between 1855 and 1857. It is a work of satire on the shortcomings of the government and society of the period....
, which began transmitting on the 26th October 2008, starring alongside her fellow Torchwood
Torchwood
Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
stars Eve Myles
Eve Myles
Eve Myles is an award winning Welsh actress of stage and screen. She is best known to Welsh audiences for her portrayal of Ceri Owen in the BBC Wales drama Belonging, and to audiences worldwide for her role as Gwen Cooper in the science fiction show Torchwood, a spin-off from Doctor Who.-Personal...
and Ruth Jones
Ruth Jones
Ruth Jones is a Welsh TV actress and writer. She starred in and co-wrote the multi-award winning TV comedy Gavin & Stacey and has appeared in many other successful comedies over recent years...
. Some of Agyeman's scenes for the first episode were shot in the grounds of Deal Castle
Deal Castle
Deal Castle is located in Deal, Kent, England, between Walmer Castle and the now lost Sandown Castle .-Construction:It is one of the most impressive of the Device Forts or Henrician Castles built by Henry VIII between 1539 and 1540 as an artillery fortress to counter the threat of invasion from...
, Kent, which doubled for Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Agyeman was delighted to have appeared in Little Dorrit, as it had always been a dream of hers to appear in a period drama. In 2008 Agyeman also appeared in Survivors
Survivors (2008 TV Series)
Survivors is a British science fiction television series produced by the BBC. It depicts the lives of a group of people who survived a virulent strain of heretofore unknown influenza which has wiped out most of the human race...
, a BBC 1 remake of the cult 1970s TV series, as Jenny Walsh (surname originally reported to be Collins), although her character was killed off in the first episode in a shock twist despite featuring prominently in promotional materials for the series.
Since 2009 she has starred as crown prosecutor Alesha Phillips in Law & Order: UK, a spin-off from the popular US Law & Order franchise
Law & Order franchise
The Law & Order franchise is a number of related American television series created by Dick Wolf and originally broadcast on NBC, all of which deal with some aspect of the criminal justice system...
. Agyeman is a self-professed "massive fan" of the original Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
series, especially Seasons 3 and 4. In preparation for the role, Agyeman sat in on live trials, toured the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
, and conferred with her law-degree holding sister, Leila: "She's great and really patient at explaining things to laymen, because I was coming at it completely blind. She's been a good source."
Awards and recognition
In June 2007, Freema Agyeman was named "Best Newcomer" at the 2007 "Glamour Women of the Year Awards". The same year she won the 2007 People's Choice category for "Female TV Star" in the 5th annual Screen Nation Film and TV AwardsScreen Nation
The Screen Nation Film & TV Awards was founded in 2003 by , as a platform to raise the profile of black British and international film and television talent....
, held on 15 October 2007 at the Hilton Metropole in London.
The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
had an interview with Agyeman in December 2007 and named her as a "face of 2007".
Nominations
In 2003, Agyeman was nominated in two categories in The British Soap Awards for her role as Lola Wise in Crossroads, as "Best Newcomer" and "Sexiest Female".In 2007, she was one of the top four nominations for best actress in the National Television Awards
National Television Awards
The National Television Awards is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted on by the general public. Because of the way the awards are decided, winners are...
, for playing Martha Jones in the 2007 series of Doctor Who. She was also nominated for Best Actress in the TV Quick Awards the same year for her role in Doctor Who. She has since been longlisted for the 2010 National Television Awards for best dramatic performance for her role as crown prosecutor Alesha Phillips.
In 2009 she was also put forward as a nomination for best actress at the Birmingham Black International Film Festival's Music, Video and Screen Awards (MVSAs).
Acting
| Year(s) | Title | Role | More information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009– | Law & Order: UK | Crown Prosecutor Alesha Phillips | TV programme |
| 2008 | Survivors Survivors (2008 TV Series) Survivors is a British science fiction television series produced by the BBC. It depicts the lives of a group of people who survived a virulent strain of heretofore unknown influenza which has wiped out most of the human race... |
Jenny Walsh | TV programme |
| 2008 | Little Dorrit Little Dorrit (TV serial) Little Dorrit is a 2008 British television serial directed by Adam Smith, Dearbhla Walsh, and Diarmuid Lawrence. The teleplay by Andrew Davies is based on the serial novel of the same title by Charles Dickens, originally published between 1855 and 1857.... |
Tattycoram | TV programme |
| 2008 | Torchwood Torchwood Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from... |
Martha Jones Martha Jones Martha Jones is a fictional character played by Freema Agyeman in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spin-off series, Torchwood. She is a companion of the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who, replacing Rose Tyler... |
"Reset Reset (Torchwood) "Reset" is the sixth episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, which was first broadcast by BBC Three on 13 February 2008, immediately after the broadcast of "Adam" on BBC Two... ", "Dead Man Walking Dead Man Walking (Torchwood) "Dead Man Walking" is the seventh episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood. It was broadcast by BBC Three and BBC HD on 20 February 2008; it made its terrestrial debut on BBC Two on 27 February.-Synopsis:... ", "A Day in the Death A Day in the Death "A Day in the Death" is the eighth episode of the second series of British science fiction television series Torchwood, which was broadcast by BBC Three on 27 February 2008... " |
| 2007 | Doctor Who Doctor Who Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior... – The Infinite Quest The Infinite Quest The Infinite Quest is an animated serial based on the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was made by BBC Television, but does not share the same producers as the live-action series. It was aired in twelve weekly parts starting 2 April 2007 as a segment of the children's... |
Martha Jones [voice] | TV animation |
| 2007–2010 | Doctor Who | Martha Jones | Series 3 Doctor Who (series 3) The third series of British science fiction series Doctor Who was preceded by the 2006 Christmas special "The Runaway Bride". Following the special, a regular series of thirteen episodes was broadcast, starting with "Smith and Jones" on 31 March 2007... (Full Series), "The Sontaran Stratagem The Sontaran Stratagem "The Sontaran Stratagem" is the fourth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 26 April 2008... " "The Poison Sky The Poison Sky "The Poison Sky" is the fifth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 3 May 2008. The episode features both former companion Martha Jones and the alien Sontarans... " "The Doctor's Daughter The Doctor's Daughter "The Doctor's Daughter" is the sixth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 10 May 2008.- Synopsis :... " "The Stolen Earth The Stolen Earth "The Stolen Earth" is the twelfth episode of the fourth series and the 750th overall episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The episode was written by show runner and head writer Russell T Davies and is the first of a two-part crossover story; the concluding episode is... " "Journey's End Journey's End (Doctor Who) "Journey's End" is the thirteenth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who first broadcast on BBC One on 5 July 2008. It is the second episode of a two-part crossover story featuring the characters of spin-off shows Torchwood and The Sarah Jane... " The End of Time The End of Time The End of Time: The Next Revolution in Our Understanding of the Universe, also sold with the alternate subtitle The Next Revolution in Physics, is a 1999 science book in which the author Julian Barbour argues that time exists merely as an illusion.-Auto-biography:The book begins by describing how... |
| 2006 | Doctor Who | Adeola Oshodi | "Army of Ghosts Army of Ghosts "Army of Ghosts" is the twelfth and penultimate episode in the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who which was first broadcast on 1 July 2006... " |
| 2006 | The Bill The Bill The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work... |
Shakira Washington | Two episodes, TV programme |
| 2005 | Silent Witness Silent Witness Silent Witness is a BBC crime thriller series focusing on a team of forensic pathology experts and their investigations into various crimes. First broadcast in February 1996, the series is still airing to the present day, with a fifteenth series expected to air in January 2012. The series was... |
Mary Ogden | One episode, TV programme |
| 2005 | Mile High Mile High Mile High is a British television drama based on the lives of the cabin crew members of "fresh!", a budget airline based in London. The name of the show comes from the "Mile High Club". The show was broadcast on Sky1 from 2003 to 2005.-Background:... |
Girl One | One episode, TV programme |
| 2004 | The Bill The Bill The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work... |
Jenna Carter | One episode, TV programme |
| 2004 | Casualty@Holby City Casualty@Holby City Casualty@Holby City is the name given to special crossover episodes of BBC medical dramas Casualty and Holby City. While Casualty was launched on 6 September 1986, and its spin-off Holby City was first aired on 12 January 1999, the first full crossover episode between the two programmes was not... |
Kate Hindley | One episode, TV programme |
| 2004 | Aisha the American | Shaheen | TV programme |
| 2003 | Crossroads | Lola Wise | TV programme |
As self
| Year(s) | Title | Role | More information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Doctor Who Greatest Moments | Contributor | TV documentary |
| 2009 | The Paul O'Grady Show The Paul O'Grady Show The Paul O'Grady Show was a BAFTA award-winning British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV before moving to Channel 4... |
Studio guest | TV chat show |
| 2009 | This Morning This Morning (TV series) This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The... |
Studio guest | TV chat show |
| 2008 | Blue Peter Blue Peter Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time... |
Guest presenter | Children's magazine show |
| 2008 | The Paul O'Grady Show | Studio guest | Interviewed by Shane Richie Shane Richie Shane Richie is an English actor, comedian, singer and media personality, known for his portrayal of the character Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders.-Early life and career beginnings:... |
| 2008–2010 | Bizarre ER Bizarre ER Bizarre ER is a BBC Three television show that deals with hospital mishaps. It was narrated by Freema Agyeman and is now narrated by Sheridan Smith from Series 4 onwards.... |
Narrator | TV documentary series |
| 2008 | Torchwood Declassified Torchwood Declassified Torchwood Declassified is a documentary series created by the British Broadcasting Corporation to complement the British science fiction television series Torchwood. Each episode is broadcast on the same evening as the broadcast of the weekly television episode... |
Herself | Torchwood "making of" series |
| 2007 | The Omid Djalili Show Omid Djalili Omid Djalili is a British Iranian stand-up comedian, actor, television producer and writer.-Personal life:Djalili was born in Chelsea, London to Iranian Bahá'í parents and is a Bahá'í himself... |
Herself (sketch) | TV comedy sketch show |
| 2007 | Richard and Judy | Studio guest | TV chat show |
| 2007 | Friday Night with Jonathan Ross Friday Night with Jonathan Ross Friday Night with Jonathan Ross was a British comedy chat show presented by Jonathan Ross. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 2 November 2001. The programme featured Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from both a guest music group and the house band... |
Studio guest | TV chat show |
| 2007 | Totally Doctor Who Totally Doctor Who Totally Doctor Who is a children's television series produced by the BBC that was originally broadcast between 13 April 2006 and 29 June 2007, accompanying the second and third revived series of Doctor Who. No episodes have been produced following the third series... |
Herself | Children's magazine show |
| 2007–2008 | Doctor Who Confidential Doctor Who Confidential Doctor Who Confidential is a documentary series created by the British Broadcasting Corporation to complement the revival of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Each episode was broadcast on BBC Three on Saturdays, immediately after the broadcast of the weekly... |
Herself | Doctor Who "making of" series |
| 2006 | The One Show The One Show The One Show is a topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One and BBC One HD, hosted by Alex Jones and Matt Baker. Chris Evans joins Jones to present the programme on Friday... |
Studio guest |
Film
| Year(s) | Title | Role | More information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Rulers and Dealers | Nana | Independent film Independent film An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced... |
Audio/radio
| Year(s) | Title | Role | More information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | The Story of Martha The Story of Martha The Story of Martha is a BBC Books original novel written by Dan Abnett with David Roden, Steve Lockley & Paul Lewis, Robert Shearman and Simon Jowett and based on the long running science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones... |
Narrator | Doctor Who Audio Book |
| 2008 | Martha in the Mirror Martha in the Mirror Martha in the Mirror is a BBC Books original novel written by Justin Richards and based on the long running science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones... |
Narrator | Doctor Who Audio Book |
| 2008 | Torchwood Torchwood Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from... : Lost Souls Lost Souls (Torchwood) "Lost Souls" is an original BBC Radio 4 audio play written by Joseph Lidster and is a spin-off from the British science fiction television series Torchwood, itself a spin-off from Doctor Who. It aired on 10 September 2008 in the Afternoon Play slot as part of Radio 4's Big Bang Day which celebrated... |
Dr Martha Jones | Full Cast Audio Drama |
| 2008 | The Pirate Loop The Pirate Loop The Pirate Loop is a BBC Books original novel written by Simon Guerrier and based on the long running science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones. It was published on December 26, 2007, alongside Peacemaker and Wishing Well... |
Narrator | Doctor Who Audio Book |
| 2008 | Wetworld Wetworld Wetworld is a BBC Books original novel written by Mark Michalowski and based on the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones. It was published on the 9 September 2007, alongside Forever Autumn and Sick Building.-Continuity:*References... |
Narrator | Doctor Who Audio Book |
| 2007 | The Last Dodo The Last Dodo Not to be confused with "The Last Dodo" character in the Warner Brothers cartoon Porky in Wackyland, or the musical play by Peter DizozzaThe Last Dodo is a BBC Books original novel written by Jacqueline Rayner and based on the long running science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features... |
Narrator | Doctor Who Audio Book |
Theatre/stage
| Year(s) | Title | Role | More information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Doctor Who Prom Doctor Who Prom Prom 13: Doctor Who Prom was a concert showcasing incidental music from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, along with classical music, performed on 27 July 2008 in the Royal Albert Hall in London as part of the BBC's annual Proms series of concerts... |
Host | Musical celebration, 27 July 2008 |
| 2002 | *Lords and Ladies | Various roles | Originally by Terry Pratchett |
| 2001–2002 | When Snow Falls | T | by Chris Elwell |
| 2001 | Twisted Roots | Anya Starr | by Emily Nightingale |
External links
- Interview on The One ShowThe One ShowThe One Show is a topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One and BBC One HD, hosted by Alex Jones and Matt Baker. Chris Evans joins Jones to present the programme on Friday...
(14 August 2006) - Interview in The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
(16 February 2008) - Interview at Sky.com (30 June 2008)
- Survivors – Freema Agyeman (Jenny Collins) Press Pack at the BBC Press Office
- Little Dorrit – Freema Agyeman (Tattycoram) Press Pack at the BBC Press Office