Alexandra Louise "Ali" Bastian (born February 27, 1982) is an English television actress, best known for playing Becca Dean in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2001 to2007, and PC Sally Armstrong in long-running ITV drama series The Bill from 2007 to 2009.
Early Life[]
Born in Windsor, Berkshire, Bastian attended the Redroofs Theatre School in nearby Maidenhead from the ages of 10 to 13, and started professional acting with a role in Jane Eyre aged 10. She then attended Claires Court School, The College (now Claires Court Senior Girls), Maidenhead.
Career[]
Hollyoaks[]
Bastian joined the Channel 4 soap in 2001. She was involved in a controversial storyline in Hollyoaks where her character was fired from her teaching job and sent to prison after having an affair with one of her students. In December 2005, alongside her Hollyoaks cast mates Jodi Albert and Sarah Jayne Dunn, Bastian appeared in an exercise video called Hollyoaks Get Fit. At the 2006 British Soap Awards Bastian and Chris Fountain won the award for best storyline. She departed the show in 2007.
Other Television Work[]
Bastian has also appeared on television in Cavegirl, A Touch of Froest, Twenty Four 7, and Here After.
Bastian joined the long-running ITV police drama The Bill as PC Sally Armstrong in summer 2007and departed in late 2009.
Strictly Come Dancing[]
She was a contestant, departing in the semi-final on Strictly Come Dancing 2009, where she was partnered with Brian Fortuna. In Week 11 Bastian severely bruised the bones of her foot while training. Doctors later gave her the all clear to go ahead and perform. There was doubt about her fitness to perform in the show's semi-final. After successfuly performing, Ali and Brian were eliminated, finishing in third place out of sixteen couples. Bastian currently holds the celebrity record for the American Smooth and the Viennese Waltz, receiving a perfect score for both of these dances. The pair danced again in the Strictly Come Dancing 2009 Christmas Special, and won having again scored 40/40 for their Viennese Waltz.
Bastian then joined Fortuna in the West End dance show Burn the Floor, which opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre on July 21, 2010 and ran until September 4, 2010.
Stage Work[]
Bastian has starred alongside Dawn Steele and Matthew Lewis in the UK touring version of Bill Kenwright's production of Verdict by Agatha Christie, playing alter-ego Helen Rollander.
Other Work[]
Bastian was signed to Storm Models, and has worked for Littlewoods within a new range called Drama Queens.
Personal Life[]
Bastian dated her Hollyoaks co-star and on-screen husband Kevin Sacre. During their two-year relationship, they appeared in a celebrity couples edition of the quiz show The Weakest Link. The couple broke up in early 2006.
Ali was engaged to musician Tom Clay in 2013.
Filmography[]
- 1992: Jane Eyre (BBC) - Young Jane
- 1997: FairyTale: A True Story - Fairy
- 1998: Next Birthday - Monica
- 1999: A Touch of Frost - Lisa Harper
- 2001-2007: Hollyoaks - Becca Dean
- 2002: Come Together - Tara
- 2007-2009: The Bill - PC Sally Armstrong
- 2012: Strippers vs Werewolves - Dani
- 2014: Jonathan Creek - The Letters of Septimus Noone, episode 5.1
- 2015: Death in Paradise - Jenny Burgess, episode 4.4
- 2016: Undercover Hooligan - DC Baker
- 2017: Holby City - episode "Sleep Well" (as a patient)
- 2017: Who Is Alice - Alice and Nina (leading role)
Stage Work[]
- Paddington Bear - Novello Theatre
- The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe - Novello Theatre
- Once Upon A Time - Novello Theatre
- Burn The Floor - Shaftesbury Theatre
- Agatha Christie "Verdict" - UK tour 2011
- Chicago - UK Tour 2012
- Breathless - Soho Theatre 2013