Linda Davidson
Encyclopedia
Linda Davidson is a Canadian-British
former actress, writer and a media corporate. She played the wayward punk
, Mary Smith in the BBC
soap opera
, EastEnders
. Mary was one of the serial's original characters and Davidson played her from March 1985 to May 1988. Away from EastEnders Davidson has appeared in various television programmes and on stage, however she stopped performing in the late 1990s. She went on to work in digital media for the BBC and Channel 4
, then became a director of business strategy for Discovery Communications
in the 2000s. By 2011, she had founded the "a.bridge collective", a network of broadcast and digital media industry experts, specialising in aligning commercial strategy with people, processes and technology.
in London
, and moved into television acting.
Her big television break came in 1984, when she secured the role of Mary Smith, in the fledgling BBC serial drama, EastEnders; she first appeared on-screen as Mary in March 1985. During Davidson's time on the show her character was involved in storylines about prostitution
, unemployment
, drugs
and the confiscation of her child, Annie, by social services. She quit EastEnders in 1988, when she was offered a Steven Berkoff
play.
Davidson went on to act in First of the Summer Wine
(1988); Bulman
; Casualty (1990); House of Elliot (1992); Maria's Child (1992); The Bill
(1993); and 10 x 10: The Guinea Pig (1998). She also appeared in various theatre productions; notably, she played the role of Columbia in the first West End revival of the The Rocky Horror Show
(1990).
Her interest in writing and the internet signified the next stage of her career. She wrote for BBC Online, making contributions to Tomorrow's World
and Good Homes online. In the mid 90s she was in charge of all the BBC's drama websites, including the EastEnders website. She also worked as the editor of E4 Interactive in the 2000s - Channel 4
's digital presence aimed at the lucrative 15–35 age group. She progressed to work on the development of low budget, high volume programmes for emerging digital channels. At Channel 4, she secured affiliate investment and 3 new brands were launched; 4Dating, T4
and 4Music
. Meanwhile she commissioned award winning animation Action Stan and BAFTA nominated multi-player game, Tank Wars
. Davidson also teamed up with the drama and entertainment departments to co-create Fiction Lab at the BBC. Fiction Lab’s first axiom was to explore the genres of entertainment and drama across emerging platforms.
Later she moved to Discovery Communications
, where she established a global team launching long and short form video content across affiliate Web, VOD and Mobile platforms, including 80 Short-Form online services, 8 Long Form On-Demand sites, 21 VOD and IPTV services, 18 Mobile TV Services,17 Mobile Internet Services and in 26 languages.
Davidson later founded and is Managing Director of the "a.bridge collective", a network of broadcast and digital media industry experts, specialising in aligning commercial strategy with people, processes and technology.
, Lancashire
, England
as a child. She now resides in London. During the 1980s, she dated Nejdet Salih, her co-star on EastEnders who played Ali Osman
. She now has a partner with whom she has a son.
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...
former actress, writer and a media corporate. She played the wayward punk
Punk subculture
The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
, Mary Smith 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...
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,...
, EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
. Mary was one of the serial's original characters and Davidson played her from March 1985 to May 1988. Away from EastEnders Davidson has appeared in various television programmes and on stage, however she stopped performing in the late 1990s. She went on to work in digital media for the BBC and Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, then became a director of business strategy for Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications, Inc. is an American global media and entertainment company. The company started as a single channel in 1985, The Discovery Channel. Today, DCI has global operations offering 28 network entertainment brands on more than 100 channels in more than 180 countries in 39...
in the 2000s. By 2011, she had founded the "a.bridge collective", a network of broadcast and digital media industry experts, specialising in aligning commercial strategy with people, processes and technology.
Performing
Prior to her corporate career, Linda Davidson was an actress and dancer (her mother was a soloist with the Ballet Rambert). She attended drama school, the Italia Conti AcademyItalia Conti Academy
The Italia Conti Academy is a theatre arts training school based in London. It was founded in 1911 by actress Italia Conti...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and moved into television acting.
Her big television break came in 1984, when she secured the role of Mary Smith, in the fledgling BBC serial drama, EastEnders; she first appeared on-screen as Mary in March 1985. During Davidson's time on the show her character was involved in storylines about prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
, drugs
DRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
and the confiscation of her child, Annie, by social services. She quit EastEnders in 1988, when she was offered a Steven Berkoff
Steven Berkoff
Steven Berkoff is an English actor, writer and director. Best known for his performance as General Orlov in the James Bond film Octopussy, he is typically cast in villanous roles, such as Lt...
play.
Davidson went on to act in First of the Summer Wine
First of the Summer Wine
First of the Summer Wine is a sitcom written by Roy Clarke that aired on BBC1. The pilot originally aired on 3 January 1988, and the first series of episodes followed on 4 September 1988. The show ran for two series of six episodes each, with the final episode airing on 8 October 1989. The pilot...
(1988); Bulman
Bulman
Bulman was a Granada TV series which ran from 1985-1987 and followed the fortunes of the major character from the earlier XYY Man and Strangers series....
; Casualty (1990); House of Elliot (1992); Maria's Child (1992); 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...
(1993); and 10 x 10: The Guinea Pig (1998). She also appeared in various theatre productions; notably, she played the role of Columbia in the first West End revival of the The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show is a long-running British horror comedy stage musical, which opened in London on 19 June 1973. It was written by Richard O'Brien, produced and directed by Jim Sharman. It came eighth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals"...
(1990).
Media career
Davidson developed an interest in writing and worked as a TV sit-com writer, director and voiceover specialist. Some of her stories were published and she had several scripts for film and television optioned, but ultimately the projects did not go ahead.Her interest in writing and the internet signified the next stage of her career. She wrote for BBC Online, making contributions to Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World was a long-running BBC television series, showcasing new developments in the world of science and technology. First aired on 7 July 1965 on BBC1, it ran for 38 years until it was cancelled at the beginning of 2003.- Content :...
and Good Homes online. In the mid 90s she was in charge of all the BBC's drama websites, including the EastEnders website. She also worked as the editor of E4 Interactive in the 2000s - Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's digital presence aimed at the lucrative 15–35 age group. She progressed to work on the development of low budget, high volume programmes for emerging digital channels. At Channel 4, she secured affiliate investment and 3 new brands were launched; 4Dating, T4
T4
- In airports and airlines :* The IATA airline code for Hellas Jet* Madrid Barajas Airport Terminal 4* London Heathrow Airport Terminal 4- In biology and medicine :* T4 phage, a bacteriophage* Thyroxine , a form of thyroid hormones* The T4 spinal nerve...
and 4Music
4Music
4Music is a music and entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and available on some digital television providers in the Republic of Ireland - its web component can be found at with its own and pages. It is the only channel within the Box Television Network to be branded under Channel 4 and...
. Meanwhile she commissioned award winning animation Action Stan and BAFTA nominated multi-player game, Tank Wars
Tank Wars
Tank Wars is an artillery game developed in 1990 by Kenneth Morse.There is another artillery game named Tank Wars, written in 1986 by Cody Snider for DOS and the Apple II...
. Davidson also teamed up with the drama and entertainment departments to co-create Fiction Lab at the BBC. Fiction Lab’s first axiom was to explore the genres of entertainment and drama across emerging platforms.
Later she moved to Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications, Inc. is an American global media and entertainment company. The company started as a single channel in 1985, The Discovery Channel. Today, DCI has global operations offering 28 network entertainment brands on more than 100 channels in more than 180 countries in 39...
, where she established a global team launching long and short form video content across affiliate Web, VOD and Mobile platforms, including 80 Short-Form online services, 8 Long Form On-Demand sites, 21 VOD and IPTV services, 18 Mobile TV Services,17 Mobile Internet Services and in 26 languages.
Davidson later founded and is Managing Director of the "a.bridge collective", a network of broadcast and digital media industry experts, specialising in aligning commercial strategy with people, processes and technology.
Personal life
Davidson emigrated from Canada to SouthportSouthport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
as a child. She now resides in London. During the 1980s, she dated Nejdet Salih, her co-star on EastEnders who played Ali Osman
Ali Osman
Ali Osman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nejdet Salih. He was a member of the original EastEnders cast, appearing in the first episode on 19 February 1985. He remained with the show for nearly five years afterwards, making his final appearance on 10 October...
. She now has a partner with whom she has a son.
Selected television roles
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1985–1988 | EastEnders EastEnders EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End... |
Mary Smith |
| 1988–1989 | First of the Summer Wine First of the Summer Wine First of the Summer Wine is a sitcom written by Roy Clarke that aired on BBC1. The pilot originally aired on 3 January 1988, and the first series of episodes followed on 4 September 1988. The show ran for two series of six episodes each, with the final episode airing on 8 October 1989. The pilot... |
Anita Pillsworth |