Lucy Speed

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Lucy Speed
Born (1976-08-31) 31 August 1976 (age 47)
Croydon, London, England
Alma materItalia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
OccupationActress
Years active1983–present
Known forEastEnders
Spouse
Spencer Hayler
​
(m. 2009)​
Children2

Lucy Renee Speed (born 31 August 1976) is an English actress best known for her television roles as Natalie Evans in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders appearing in 526 episodes between 1994 and 2004, and as DS Stevie Moss in the ITV police drama series The Bill from 2008 to 2010. She has also starred in the BBC One sitcom Cradle to Grave (2015) and ITV dramas Marcella (2018) and Unforgotten (2021).[1] Speed is also a prolific stage performer, appearing in numerous theatrical productions.[2]

Early life[edit]

Speed is the second of two children born to Sue (née Salter) and Sid Speed,[3][4] having an older brother, Dan.[5] Her career in performing began at the age of seven after her ballet teacher saw potential and advised her parents to get her an agent.[5] She attended a local after-school theatre group in south Croydon alongside actor Nigel Harman, who she would later work with in EastEnders.[6] Speed spent two terms at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.[7]

Career[edit]

Early career[edit]

At the age of seven, Speed modelled clothes for Kays catalogue and she went on to appear in commercials for Sunpat peanut butter, then for gas, paint, soup and the children's toy My Little Pony. By the age of eight she was acting on stage at London's National Theatre in Neap Tide, a controversial play about lesbianism and women's oppression.[5] Speed has commented "Mum wasn't keen for me to be a child actress — she thought I'd be even more precocious than I already was… I worked constantly and I loved it."[8]

Speed appeared in several films during her youth, which included playing the role of Josephine Stitch in the 1987 film Scoop when she was eleven. She went on to secure the role of 'young Aurora' in the film Impromptu (1991), which was about Polish pianist Frédéric Chopin and starred Hugh Grant.

Speed made an early appearance on television when she filmed at Windsor Safari Park with television presenter Johnny Morris. She went on to have roles in legal drama Rumpole of the Bailey (as Isolde Erskine-Brown) in 1987, and later appeared in an episode of Saracen in 1989. In 1991 she starred in the award-winning Dodgem alongside actor Sean Maguire.[9] Dodgem was a six-part televised drama for children's BBC, written and adapted by Bernard Ashley. Speed played Rose Penfold, a streetwise love interest for Maguire's character, Simon; they meet at a children's home and then run away to be together.

During 1992–93 Speed appeared as Beki Jenner in two series of Rides, a BBC drama about an all-woman minicab firm, written by Carole Hayman. She later appeared in an episode of the BBC children's programme Parallel 9, which aired in 1994.

EastEnders[edit]

Speed's big television break came in 1993 aged 17, when she won the part of Natalie Price in the BBC soap EastEnders. She played the brow beaten best friend of Bianca Jackson (played by Patsy Palmer), making her first appearance on-screen in January 1994. Speed quit the soap after a year as she felt overwhelmed and unprepared by all the press attention she received from being in such a high-profile show.[10] Speed commented: "I was very frightened by it quite frankly and certainly unprepared for it. I didn't like at all the attention that came with being on such a high-profile show. It simply wasn't what I signed up for in the first place---all that craziness. I was very young and extremely shy, so it all became a huge difficulty for me…I honoured my initial one-year contract and then moved on…they did express their interest in signing me for another year, but I politely but firmly declined. They were a bit shocked. I tried to explain in the best way I could my reasons for leaving at the end of my contract and they ultimately understood, and so I left on good terms with them…I had some growing up to do and instinctively knew that growing up more or less in front of the British public for one year was enough!"[10]

However, in 1999 Speed reprised the role of Natalie Price, four years after her initial departure. Her return was prompted by her friend and EastEnders co-star Ross Kemp, who initiated contact between her and producer Matthew Robinson.[10] Speed commented "I have changed. I've grown up and I'm more confident. I've had more life experiences. I've had bad times, lived in different places. I'm a bit more grown up and settled now. And as I've grown older I appreciate that it's much nicer to have a regular job. When EastEnders asked me back, I thought, `Cool, I can pay the mortgage."[5]

Speed decided to leave the soap once again in 2004.[11] She commented "I'd been back for five years and had very little to do the year before. I quite like being busy and I could see the scriptwriters were struggling with Natalie and where to place her so it seemed like the right time to go. It's nice that they've left it open, I'd hate to think the door was shut behind me. Absolutely, I'd like to go back, never say never.”[11]

Other roles[edit]

In 1995 Speed played Nell Gwyn in England, My England, a film about the composer Henry Purcell. She made minor appearances in the films Metroland (1997), Keep the Aspidistra Flying (1997), and the Academy Award-winning film Shakespeare in Love (1998).

Her television work includes roles in BBC drama Dangerfield, BBC comedy Men Behaving Badly, An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, hospital drama Casualty and The New Adventures of Robin Hood, which was shot in Lithuania. She also worked on a television series in America called Unsolved Mysteries.[10] She appeared in the BBC hospital drama Holby City in 2004, the Detective series Jericho in 2005, and in 2007 she filmed for the second series of the BBC comedy Love Soup. Speed later appeared in The Bill as DC/DS Stevie Moss from series 24 in 2008 until the final episode in August 2010.

Away from acting, Speed has appeared in television game shows. These include Celebrity Ready, Steady, Cook, and Celebrity Weakest Link hosted by Anne Robinson, and Pointless Celebrities partnering her former on-screen EastEnders husband, Shaun Williamson. In 2007, Speed fronted the first self-protection instructional DVD, entitled "Stay Safe With Lucy Speed". The DVD features special forces and "martial arts guru" Andy Hopwood, and teaches various self-defence techniques.[12]

Stage and radio[edit]

Speed has appeared in stage and radio plays. In 2000 she starred in Be My Baby at London's Soho Theatre, playing a four-month pregnant singer called Queenie. In 2004 she toured with the Vagina Monologues and in 2006 she starred in the Louise Roche play/musical Girls' Night, which toured the UK.[13] The comedy play follows five friends as they relive their past at a karaoke night. In 2007 Speed was one of several former soap stars to act in the stage play Soap at the Royal Theatre, which was a parody of TV soap operas written by Sarah Wood. The play also starred Coronation Street's Paul Fox, Emmerdale's Janice McKenzie and EastEnders' Marc Bannerman.[14] In 2003 she performed in the Radio 4 series Elephants to Catch Eels, with former Coronation Street star John Bowe,[15] and she played the part of Silver in the radio play, Speed and Silver.[16]

In 2017, Speed appeared in Stephen Unwin's All Our Children, which premiered at the Jermyn Street Theatre. Speed portrayed the mother of a disabled son in Nazi Germany.[17][18] About the role, Speed told the Evening Standard: "I’ve always been interested in history, but when I was a child I did a play called Rosie Blitz at the Polka Theatre where I played a refugee and it was a really lovely play and all-consuming [...] I just felt the emotional connections and then I kept returning to reading about the home front and Germany and Russia — and when you start reading about the subject you just learn more and more [...] I met Stephen and spoke with him and I know about his history with it, and I just thought when it comes from such an honest place I wanted to be involved. I wanted to represent a lot of those parents I knew, and this is the same reason I would say people should come and see it."[19]

Speed joined radio soap opera The Archers as Home Farm manager Stella Pryor in 2021.[20] She was part of the show's first on-air lesbian kiss in August 2023.[21]

In March 2022, Speed performed as Ada Jarvis in Mark Ravenhill's version of Blackmail.[22][23] Chris Wiegand, reviewing for The Guardian, rated the play 3/5 stars.[24] Dave Fargnoli, for The Stage, rated Blackmail 4/5 stars.[25]

In January 2023, Speed starred as Truvy in a production of Steel Magnolias at the Richmond Theatre, London. Speed appeared alongside Laura Main, Diana Vickers, Caroline Harker and Elizabeth Ayodele.[26] The production, going on to tour the UK, was rated 2/5 stars by What's on Stage.[27] Speed's last performance was on 22 April 2023.[28]

Personal life[edit]

Speed married model and actor Spencer Hayler[29] on 12 September 2009,[30] and gave birth to their daughter Kitty Bina Grace Hayler on 20 May 2012.[31] They live in Fulham, west London. Speed is good friends with Charlie Brooks, the actress who played Janine Butcher, her on-screen adversary in EastEnders.[32] Away from acting she enjoys horse riding, skiing and dance. She gave birth to a baby boy Sullivan in August 2018.

Acting credits[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Film Role Notes
1991 Impromptu Young Aurora
1995 England, My England Nell Gwyn
1997 Metroland Punk girl Small role
Keep the Aspidistra Flying Factory girl Minor role
1998 Shakespeare in Love Second whore
2012 Bunking Off Leanne Short film
2014 Lizard Girl Chrissie
Counting Backwards Adult Sally
2022 The Ballad of Olive Morris Policewoman

Television[edit]

Year Programme Role Notes
1988 King and Castle Susie 4 episodes
1991 Dodgem Rose Penfold 6 episodes
1992–1993 Rides Becki Jenner 12 episodes
1993 The Bill Vicky Belham[33] 1 episode
1994–1995,
1999–2004 		EastEnders Natalie Evans 526 episodes
1996 The Prince and the Pauper Nan Canty
1997 Casualty Kerry Series 11 episode 22: Make Believe
The New Adventures of Robin Hood Iris 1 episode
Dangerfield Lorraine 1 episode
1998 The Children of the New Forest Martha Television film
Men Behaving Badly Chambermaid [34]
1999 An Unsuitable Job for a Woman Sandy Benningham 1 episode
2004 Holby City Mandy Fairlock
2005 Jericho Bette Dadley
2006 The Bill Leanne Brown[35]
2008–2010 The Bill DC Stevie Moss[36] Regular role
2008 Love Soup Trisha
2011 Law & Order: UK Shannon Blake 1 episode
2013 Lewis Louise Cornish 2 episodes
Holby City Angela Pritchard
Doctors Holly Lyndhurst
2014 The Dumping Ground Nerys 1 episode
2015 Cradle to Grave Bet Baker Series 1; 8 episodes
2016 National Treasure Young Marie Finchley[37] 3 episodes
2017–2018 Jamie Johnson Ms Savage 19 episodes
2017 Call the Midwife Zelda Series 6 episode 1
2018 Silent Witness Ella Weir ”A Special Relationship” 2 episodes
Marcella Leslie Evans Season 2; 2 episodes
2019 Doctors Kate Davis
2020 After Life Tracy ”Season 2, Episode 6”
Liar Counsellor Parks Series 2 episode 5
2021 Unforgotten Marnie Barton Series 4; 6 episodes
2022 Casualty Rebecca Crawson Series 36 episode 30: I Will Trust In You
Becoming Elizabeth Elizabeth Robsart Series 1 episode 6: What Cannot Be Cured

Radio[edit]

Year Programme Role Notes
2021–present The Archers Stella Pryor Regular character

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Lucy Speed filmography". IMDb. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Articles tagged with Lucy Speed". What's on Stage. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Marriage Registration Details: Sidney D J Speed (1970, spouse: Salter)" Ancestry.co.uk (Retrieved: 11 August 2009)
  4. ^ "Marriage Registration Details: Susan L Salter (1970, spouse: Speed)" Ancestry.co.uk (Retrieved: 11 August 2009)
  5. ^ a b c d Jacques, Jan; "PLAYING FAST: AND LUCY" The Mirror, 22 February 2003 (Retrieved: 7 August 2007)
  6. ^ "EastEnders cast: Nigel Harman plays Dennis Rickman" BBC.co.uk (Retrieved: 24 August 2009)
  7. ^ "Italia Conti former pupils" Archived 13 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts (Retrieved: 24 August 2009)
  8. ^ Raymond, Clare; "Lucy Speed — The joker in the pack" The Mirror, 28 August 1999 (Retrieved: 24 August 2009)
  9. ^ "ABOUT BERNARD ASHLEY". bashley.com. Retrieved 5 September 2007.
  10. ^ a b c d Wilson, Tim; "The Return of 'Natalie' — GETTING UP TO (LUCY) SPEED" Archived 18 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine wGazette.com (Walford Gazette, issue 41), Spring 2003 (Retrieved: 23 July 2009)
  11. ^ a b Clydesdale, Lindsay; "I know Nigel’s Secret"[permanent dead link] Daily Record, 7 August 2004 (Retrieved: 24 August 2009)
  12. ^ "STAY SAFE with Lucy Speed". www.staysafedvd.com. Retrieved 15 December 2007.
  13. ^ "Girls Night". BBC. 15 June 2006. Retrieved 5 September 2007.
  14. ^ Borley, Martin; "Shows: Soap" BBC.co.uk (Northampton), 8 March 2007 (Retrieved: 24 August 2009)
  15. ^ "New BBC Radio 4 comedy from Dead Ringers team". BBC. 20 January 2003. Retrieved 5 September 2007.
  16. ^ "Up to Speed" TheNorthernEcho.co.uk, 29 October 2005 (Retrieved: 24 August 2009)
  17. ^ Hewis, Ben (27 March 2017). "Exclusive: Casting announced for Stephen Unwin's debut play All Our Children". What's on Stage. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  18. ^ Hernan, Judy (10 May 2017). "Review: All Our Children ★★★★ - Director turned writer Stephen Unwin vividly brings a lesser-known Nazi atrocity to our attention". Jewish Renaissance. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  19. ^ Dex, Robert (10 April 2017). "Nazi euthanasia play really moved me, says ex-EastEnder Lucy Speed". Evening Standard. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  20. ^ O'Hagan, Simon (26 August – 1 September 2023). "Summer of love". Radio Times. No. 5169. pp. 22–23.
  21. ^ Manning, Charlotte (16 August 2023). "The Archers airs first ever on-air lesbian kiss". Attitude. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  22. ^ Healey-Lynham, Emily (3 March 2022). "Interview with Lucy Speed". Bespoke Black Book. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  23. ^ "Announcing our full cast & creatives for Blackmail". Mercury Theatre. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  24. ^ Wiegand, Chris (10 March 2022). "Blackmail review – play that brought Hitchcock a hit is retooled for today". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  25. ^ Fargnoli, Dave (10 March 2022). "Blackmail review". The Stage. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  26. ^ Wood, Alex (22 November 2022). "Cast for Steel Magnolias tour announced". What's on Stage. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  27. ^ Satin, Ella (27 January 2023). "Steel Magnolias at Richmond Theatre and on tour – review". What's on Stage. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  28. ^ "Last show with these magnificent women. The real ones and the characters. What a journey and what a privilege…one last Truvy outing…so long y'all!! #steelmagnolias #iloveyouall xx". Twitter. 22 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  29. ^ Ali, Ayaan (5 October 2022). "Croydon actress Lucy Speed's life after EastEnders exit - from quite life with actor husband and close friendship with co-star". My London. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  30. ^ Nissim, Mayer; "Lucy Speed "laid back" about wedding" DigitalSpy.co.uk, 10 August 2009 (Retrieved: 24 August 2009)
  31. ^ "Celebrity News - Latest Celeb Photos, Interviews & Features | HELLO!".
  32. ^ Mann, Sam (13 June 2004). "GETTING PREGNANT WAS A BIG SURPRISE". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 5 September 2007.
  33. ^ "The Bill, Series 9, Episode 107". IMDb. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  34. ^ "Men Behaving Badly - what time is it on TV? Episode 2 Series 7 cast list and preview". RadioTimes. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  35. ^ "The Bill series 22 episode 4 cast". TV.com. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  36. ^ "Lucy Speed (Stevie Moss, 'The Bill')". Digital Spy. 8 July 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  37. ^ "National Treasure - what time is it on TV? Episode 3 Series 1 cast list and preview". RadioTimes. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

External links[edit]

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