Hannah Spearritt
Encyclopedia
Hannah Louise Spearritt (born 1 April 1981; Great Yarmouth
, Norfolk
) is an English
actress and singer. She was previously a member of the pop group S Club 7
. She is also known for playing the role of Abby Maitland in the British
drama
Primeval
.
, from Lowestoft
was a professional football player who played for Ipswich Town F.C.
in the 1960s.
Spearritt and co-star Andrew-Lee Potts
met when both were cast as lead characters on the ITV series Primeval
and in February 2006 they started dating. In December 2008 they became engaged.
catalogue. When she was 12, she landed a part in the Lowestoft Players amateur dramatics society's production of Annie
. Thereafter she successfully auditioned for the National Youth Music Theatre
, and became part of the company. While with the NYMT she met future S Club member and boyfriend Paul Cattermole
, as well as her friend and future flatmate, actress Sheridan Smith
. She appeared in the NYMT's productions Pendragon
(1994–1995) — performing in New York and Hong Kong, Tin Pan Ali (1996), and the West End
musical Bugsy Malone
(1997) — she was a member of the original cast.
In 1998 she got a part in the television film The Cater Street Hangman
, playing the part of a maid who gets murdered. She had also made appearances on the National Lottery
Show and Blue Peter
. While Spearritt was studying mathematics, performing arts and media studies at college in Great Yarmouth, she auditioned for S Club 7
after seeing an advert in a magazine.
. The band scored hits with songs such as "Bring it All Back" from their first album and a Brit award for Best Newcomer. They continued to please the public with singles such as "Reach", "Natural", "Don't Stop Movin'" (for which they achieved a Brit Award for Best Single). They also filmed four TV series, Miami 7
, LA 7
, Hollywood 7
and Viva S Club
. At the end of their time together S Club filmed a movie called Seeing Double which received generally poor reviews. In May 2003, the group announced that they would be splitting up after they had finished their current tour.
Whilst Spearritt was a member of S Club she was a regular pin-up in dozens of magazines and was a regular in the FHM
Top 100 Sexiest Women polls between 2000 and 2004.
On This Morning
in early 2011, Spearritt said she would love to return to music.
. She was actually in Los Angeles to audition for a role in the film Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London
, a fact that she revealed at the UK premiere of the film on 24 March 2004 in London. She got the role and three days after leaving S Club she began filming.
In March 2004, Spearritt successfully auditioned for a minor role in the horror Seed of Chucky
, a movie which was seen by some as an attempt to distance herself from her squeaky clean S Club image. Shortly after completing filming, Spearritt decided to take a break from show-business to travel and spend time with her family.
In early November 2005, she made her acting comeback in the BBC
's Blessed
, an eight part sitcom. In Blessed, she played a minor role, appearing as a member of a fake girl band in two episodes. December 2005 saw Spearritt appearing in the unsuccessful West End
musical, Snow! The Musical, at London's Sound Theatre. The musical was canceled just three weeks into its run because of poor ticket sales - one show managed to attract an audience of only two people.
In February 2006, it was revealed that Spearritt had landed a lead role in a brand new ITV
series called Primeval. She plays the role of Abby Maitland, a reptile enthusiast who gets mixed up with time travelling Professor Nick Cutter (Douglas Henshall
) after discovering a species of reptile she had never encountered. The series began on 10 February 2007.
In late 2006, Spearritt began filming for ITV1
, for a guest part in Agatha Christie
's Marple
television mystery series. The episode, entitled "At Bertram's Hotel", was broadcast on 23 September 2007.
In 2010, she made a cameo appearance in a short film, Bubble Wrapped produced by her partner.
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
actress and singer. She was previously a member of the pop group S Club 7
S Club 7
S Club, formerly known as S Club 7, were a pop group created by former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller, consisting of members Tina Barrett, Paul Cattermole, Jon Lee, Bradley McIntosh, de facto lead singer Jo O'Meara, Hannah Spearritt and Rachel Stevens. The group rose to fame by starring in their...
. She is also known for playing the role of Abby Maitland in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
Primeval
Primeval
Primeval or primæval may refer to:* Primeval, a British science fiction television series.* Primeval , a 2007 film* Primeval , a score of music from the BBC TV series Doctor Who...
.
Personal life
Spearritt was born in Great Yarmouth to Michael and Jenny Spearritt. She is the youngest of three children. Her sister is former model and fashion designer Tanya Spearritt. Her uncle, Eddie SpearrittEddie Spearritt
Eddie Spearritt , Suffolk is a retired English footballer, who played as a midfielder.-Clubs:*1965-1969 : Ipswich *1969-1974 : Brighton...
, from Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
was a professional football player who played for Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
in the 1960s.
Spearritt and co-star Andrew-Lee Potts
Andrew-Lee Potts
Andrew-Lee Potts is an English actor.He attended Intake High School Arts College and began his career in Musical Theatre. Potts is best known for his role as quirky student Connor Temple on ITV's science fiction programme Primeval, starring with his real-life fiancée, Hannah Spearritt...
met when both were cast as lead characters on the ITV series Primeval
Primeval
Primeval or primæval may refer to:* Primeval, a British science fiction television series.* Primeval , a 2007 film* Primeval , a score of music from the BBC TV series Doctor Who...
and in February 2006 they started dating. In December 2008 they became engaged.
Early career
At the age of 3, Spearritt modelled in a MothercareMothercare
Mothercare plc is a British retailer which specialises in products for expectant mothers and in general merchandise for children up to 8 years old. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
catalogue. When she was 12, she landed a part in the Lowestoft Players amateur dramatics society's production of Annie
Annie (musical)
Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...
. Thereafter she successfully auditioned for the National Youth Music Theatre
National Youth Music Theatre
The National Youth Music Theatre or NYMT is a UK organisation for young people in the field of musical theatre, based in London. It runs acting auditions, workshops, and musical theatre productions...
, and became part of the company. While with the NYMT she met future S Club member and boyfriend Paul Cattermole
Paul Cattermole
Paul Gerald Cattermole , St Albans, Hertfordshire, England) is an English singer and actor. He was previously a member of S Club 7, and was the lead singer of the band Skua and latterly Charlie Bullitt until he left in October 2005....
, as well as her friend and future flatmate, actress Sheridan Smith
Sheridan Smith
Sheridan Smith is an English actress and singer who is best known for her contributions to the British sitcoms Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Gavin & Stacey and Benidorm. She has also become a recognised face in West End theatre, where she has appeared in Little Shop of Horrors,...
. She appeared in the NYMT's productions Pendragon
Pendragon
Pendragon or Pen Draig, meaning "head dragon" or "chief dragon" , is the name of several traditional Kings of the Britons:...
(1994–1995) — performing in New York and Hong Kong, Tin Pan Ali (1996), and the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
musical Bugsy Malone
Bugsy Malone
Bugsy Malone is a 1976 musical film, very loosely based on events in New York City in the Prohibition era, specifically the exploits of gangsters like Al Capone and Bugs Moran, as dramatized in cinema...
(1997) — she was a member of the original cast.
In 1998 she got a part in the television film The Cater Street Hangman
The Cater Street Hangman
The Cater Street Hangman is a crime novel by Anne Perry. It is the first in a series which features the husband-and-wife team of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt.-Plot introduction:...
, playing the part of a maid who gets murdered. She had also made appearances on the National Lottery
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
Show and 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...
. While Spearritt was studying mathematics, performing arts and media studies at college in Great Yarmouth, she auditioned for S Club 7
S Club 7
S Club, formerly known as S Club 7, were a pop group created by former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller, consisting of members Tina Barrett, Paul Cattermole, Jon Lee, Bradley McIntosh, de facto lead singer Jo O'Meara, Hannah Spearritt and Rachel Stevens. The group rose to fame by starring in their...
after seeing an advert in a magazine.
S Club
Spearritt was a member of the pop group during the peak of their success, when they were known as S Club 7S Club 7
S Club, formerly known as S Club 7, were a pop group created by former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller, consisting of members Tina Barrett, Paul Cattermole, Jon Lee, Bradley McIntosh, de facto lead singer Jo O'Meara, Hannah Spearritt and Rachel Stevens. The group rose to fame by starring in their...
. The band scored hits with songs such as "Bring it All Back" from their first album and a Brit award for Best Newcomer. They continued to please the public with singles such as "Reach", "Natural", "Don't Stop Movin'" (for which they achieved a Brit Award for Best Single). They also filmed four TV series, Miami 7
Miami 7
Miami 7 is a television series starring British pop group S Club 7. Thirteen episodes were produced and aired on CBBC from 8 April 1999 to 1 July 1999 During each episode, the members would perform one of the songs from their album S Club. All seven members of the band starred as themselves...
, LA 7
L.A. 7
L.A. 7 was the second series in the BBC television series starring British pop group S Club 7. The programme was shown every week on CBBC from April 6, 2000 to July 6, 2000 and starred all seven members of the band as themselves...
, Hollywood 7
Hollywood 7
Hollywood 7 was the third series in the BBC television series starring British pop group S Club 7 and the second television series shot in California. The programme was shown every week on CBBC from September 25, 2001 and December 20, 2001 and starred all seven members of the band as themselves...
and Viva S Club
Viva S Club
Viva S Club was the fourth and final series in the BBC television series starring British pop group S Club. This was the only series that was not filmed in America, filming, instead, in Barcelona, Spain. The programme was shown every week on CBBC from 20 September 2002 to 27 December 2002 and...
. At the end of their time together S Club filmed a movie called Seeing Double which received generally poor reviews. In May 2003, the group announced that they would be splitting up after they had finished their current tour.
Whilst Spearritt was a member of S Club she was a regular pin-up in dozens of magazines and was a regular in the FHM
FHM
FHM, originally published as For Him Magazine, is an international monthly men's lifestyle magazine.- History :The magazine began publication in 1985 in the United Kingdom under the name For Him and changed its title to FHM in 1994 when Emap Consumer Media bought the magazine, although the full For...
Top 100 Sexiest Women polls between 2000 and 2004.
On 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...
in early 2011, Spearritt said she would love to return to music.
Acting career
In the last week of S Club's existence, Spearritt's management claimed she was at home in bed with the fluInfluenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
. She was actually in Los Angeles to audition for a role in the film Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London
Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London
Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London is an English-American action comedy film and the sequel to the 2003 film Agent Cody Banks, and was released in the United States on March 12, 2004. Frankie Muniz was the only major returning star, with Hannah Spearritt now playing the love interest and...
, a fact that she revealed at the UK premiere of the film on 24 March 2004 in London. She got the role and three days after leaving S Club she began filming.
In March 2004, Spearritt successfully auditioned for a minor role in the horror Seed of Chucky
Seed of Chucky
Seed of Chucky, also known as Child's Play 5: Seed of Chucky or Child's Play 5, is a 2004 horror comedy film, which is the fifth entry in the Child's Play series. The film was written and directed by Don Mancini, who created Child's Play and has written all sequels to date...
, a movie which was seen by some as an attempt to distance herself from her squeaky clean S Club image. Shortly after completing filming, Spearritt decided to take a break from show-business to travel and spend time with her family.
In early November 2005, she made her acting comeback 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...
's Blessed
Blessed (TV series)
Blessed was a BBC television sitcom written by Ben Elton and starring Ardal O'Hanlon as Gary, a record producer, who is struggling to bring up two small children...
, an eight part sitcom. In Blessed, she played a minor role, appearing as a member of a fake girl band in two episodes. December 2005 saw Spearritt appearing in the unsuccessful West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
musical, Snow! The Musical, at London's Sound Theatre. The musical was canceled just three weeks into its run because of poor ticket sales - one show managed to attract an audience of only two people.
In February 2006, it was revealed that Spearritt had landed a lead role in a brand new 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...
series called Primeval. She plays the role of Abby Maitland, a reptile enthusiast who gets mixed up with time travelling Professor Nick Cutter (Douglas Henshall
Douglas Henshall
Douglas James Henshall is a Scottish actor probably best known for his role as Professor Nick Cutter in the British science fiction series Primeval.-Early life:...
) after discovering a species of reptile she had never encountered. The series began on 10 February 2007.
In late 2006, Spearritt began filming for ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
, for a guest part in Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
's Marple
Marple (TV series)
Marple is a British television series based on the Miss Marple and other murder mystery novels by Agatha Christie. It is also known as Agatha Christie's Marple. The title character was played by Geraldine McEwan from the first to third series, until her retirement from the role. She was replaced...
television mystery series. The episode, entitled "At Bertram's Hotel", was broadcast on 23 September 2007.
In 2010, she made a cameo appearance in a short film, Bubble Wrapped produced by her partner.
Films
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Seeing Double | Hannah (Herself) | |
| 2004 | Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London is an English-American action comedy film and the sequel to the 2003 film Agent Cody Banks, and was released in the United States on March 12, 2004. Frankie Muniz was the only major returning star, with Hannah Spearritt now playing the love interest and... |
Emily Sommers | |
| Seed of Chucky Seed of Chucky Seed of Chucky, also known as Child's Play 5: Seed of Chucky or Child's Play 5, is a 2004 horror comedy film, which is the fifth entry in the Child's Play series. The film was written and directed by Don Mancini, who created Child's Play and has written all sequels to date... |
Joan | ||
| 2007 | Little Lilly in Chapter 1: Colour Blind | Little Lilly | Short film |
| Little Lilly in Chapter 2: Fish | Little Lilly | Short film | |
| 2008 | Little Lilly in Chapter 3: U Turn | Little Lilly | Short film |
| 2010 | Bubble Wrapped | Woman | Short film |
Television
| Year | TV Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | The Cater Street Hangman The Cater Street Hangman The Cater Street Hangman is a crime novel by Anne Perry. It is the first in a series which features the husband-and-wife team of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt.-Plot introduction:... |
Lily | TV film |
| 1999 | Miami 7 Miami 7 Miami 7 is a television series starring British pop group S Club 7. Thirteen episodes were produced and aired on CBBC from 8 April 1999 to 1 July 1999 During each episode, the members would perform one of the songs from their album S Club. All seven members of the band starred as themselves... |
Hannah Spearritt (herself) | S Club 7 TV Spin-off series 13 eps |
| 2000 | L.A. 7 L.A. 7 L.A. 7 was the second series in the BBC television series starring British pop group S Club 7. The programme was shown every week on CBBC from April 6, 2000 to July 6, 2000 and starred all seven members of the band as themselves... |
Hannah Spearritt (herself) | S Club 7 TV Spin-off series 13 eps |
| 2001 | Hollywood 7 Hollywood 7 Hollywood 7 was the third series in the BBC television series starring British pop group S Club 7 and the second television series shot in California. The programme was shown every week on CBBC from September 25, 2001 and December 20, 2001 and starred all seven members of the band as themselves... |
Hannah Spearritt (herself) | S Club 7 TV Spin-off series 13 eps |
| 2002 | Viva S Club Viva S Club Viva S Club was the fourth and final series in the BBC television series starring British pop group S Club. This was the only series that was not filmed in America, filming, instead, in Barcelona, Spain. The programme was shown every week on CBBC from 20 September 2002 to 27 December 2002 and... |
Hannah Spearritt (herself) | S Club 7/S Club TV Spin-off series 13 eps |
| 2005 | Blessed Blessed (TV series) Blessed was a BBC television sitcom written by Ben Elton and starring Ardal O'Hanlon as Gary, a record producer, who is struggling to bring up two small children... |
Girl Thing member | Ep. 4, Ep. 6 and Ep. 7 |
| 2007–2011 | Primeval | Abby Maitland | Main cast member |
| At Bertram’s Hotel Marple (TV series) Marple is a British television series based on the Miss Marple and other murder mystery novels by Agatha Christie. It is also known as Agatha Christie's Marple. The title character was played by Geraldine McEwan from the first to third series, until her retirement from the role. She was replaced... |
Tilly Rice |
Musicals
| Year | Musical | Role | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–2004 | Pendragon | Various (including New York) | |
| 1996 | Tin Pan Ali | Various (UK) | |
| 1997 | Bugsy Malone Bugsy Malone Bugsy Malone is a 1976 musical film, very loosely based on events in New York City in the Prohibition era, specifically the exploits of gangsters like Al Capone and Bugs Moran, as dramatized in cinema... |
Louella | West End West End theatre West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking... |
| 2005 | Snow! The Musical | Jilly | West End West End theatre West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking... |