Melanie Walters

Welsh actress

Melanie Walters
Born	(1962-01-30) 30 January 1962 (age 62) Swansea, Wales
Nationality	British
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1986–present
Notable work	Gavin & Stacey Hollyoaks
Children	1

Melanie Walters (born 30 January 1962)^[1]^[2] is a Welsh actress who has worked frequently in television. She is best known for playing Gwen West in the BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey and Emma, a vampire in the third series of Being Human.

Early life

Walters was born on 30 January 1962 and raised in the Mumbles, near Swansea.^[3] Her father died when she was very young, leaving her mother to raise four children under four years old.^[2] In 1973, aged 11, she took over her brother's paper round, covering Mumbles Head every day, an experience she described at length on BBC Radio 4 in January 2012. When she was 14 she qualified as a lifeguard, working on the local beaches.^[2]

Career

Walters has worked frequently in television, but is best known for playing Gwen West in the BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey between 2007 and 2010, before returning for a Christmas special episode in 2019.^[4] She was one of eight celebrities chosen to participate in an intense week learning Welsh in an eco-friendly chic campsite in Pembrokeshire in the series cariad@iaith:love4language shown on S4C in July 2011, and emerged winner of the series.^[5] Walters made a guest appearance in Casualty as Carrie on 3 February 2018.

In December 2011 she appeared in the pantomime Cinderella at the Riverfront Arts Centre in Newport.^[6]

In July 2020, it was announced that she would be taking on a lead character in the feature film Faulty Roots, directed by Ella Greenwood.^[7]

In May 2024 it was announced that a final episode of Gavin & Stacey, to be broadcast on Christmas Day 2024, had been written.^[4]

Film

La Cha Cha (2021) - as Iris
Burn Burn Burn (2015) – as Shelle
High Tide – Bethan (2014), Long Arm Films Production
Resistance (2011) – Helen Roberts
Submarine – Judie Bevan (2010)
Tan ar y Comin – Mrs. Evans (1995)

Television

Father Brown – Dotty Finglesham (2024)
Biff & Chip – Gran (2021–2022)
The Snow Spider – (2020)
Pitching In – (2019)
Doc Martin – Heather Merchant (2015)
Under Milk Wood – "A Neighbour" (2014)
Stella – Sonographer (2013), Series 2 Episode 2
Being Human – Emma (2011)
Gavin & Stacey – Gwen West (2007–2010, 2019, 2024)
Hollyoaks – Bonnie Bevan (2007–2009)
Stopping Distance – Lisa's mother (2003)
Holby City – Melanie Hooper (2002)
Belonging – Delyth (2000–2001)
Dirty Work – Megan (2000)
Casualty – Bev Lewis (1999), Carrie Gillespie (2018)
Jack of Hearts – Silvie (1999)
A Mind to Kill – Ruth Barra (1997)
Backup – Sally Vaughan (1997)
Dangerfield – Beverley Groves (1996)
The Bill – Ellen Reynolds (1995)
Christmas Reunion – Mrs Evans (1994)
The Healer – Gill Major (1994)
Telltale – Jean Herbert (1993)
Coronation Street – Valerie Jennings (1991)
We are Seven – Helen Powell (1989–1991)
Ballroom – Ann (1989)
The District Nurse – Milwen Parry (1987)

Theatre

Cinderella – Fairy Godmother (2014–2015)
Blue Remembered Hills – Angela (1998)

Personal life

Walters lives with her son in the Mumbles, Swansea, where she also runs a business teaching Pilates.^[2]

References

^ @melwalters01 (30 January 2020). "It's my birthday and I'm spending it going down hill very fast in a basket" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d BBC Radio 4, Thu 22 Sep 2011, The Paper Round, A profile of the early life of Melanie Walters
^ "Melanie Walters". IMDb. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Gavin and Stacey to return for last-ever episode on Christmas Day, BBC confirms | Gavin & Stacey | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
^ "Actores yn fuddugol am ddysgu iaith". BBC News (in Welsh). 16 July 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
^ "Error Occurred While Processing Request". www.newport.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 28 June 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
^ Grater, Tom (14 July 2020). "Melanie Walters & Kayleigh-Paige Rees Board UK Indie Pic 'Faulty Roots' About Teen Mental Health". Deadline. Retrieved 7 January 2021.