Leslie Ash

Leslie Ash (born 19 February 1960) is an English actress. She is best known for her roles in C.A.T.S. Eyes (1985–1987), the BBC sitcom Men Behaving Badly (1992–1998), ITV drama Where the Heart Is (2000–2003), and BBC medical drama Holby City (2009–2010). Her book My Life Behaving Badly: The Autobiography was published in 2007. Early career Ash was born in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, and first appeared on British television in 1964 at the age of four asking "Mummy, why are your hands so soft?" in an advertisement for the washing-up product Fairy Liquid. She was educated at the independent Italia Conti Academy stage school and then started a career as a fashion model, appearing on the cover of a number of teen magazines, including Pink, and Jackie, for which she was photographed by David Bailey. Having appeared with her sister Debbie in the 1978 British slapstick comedy Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse; her first major film role was playing the romantic lead in Quadrophenia in 1979. In 1980, Ash appeared in the Iron Maiden music video, "Women in Uniform" and one of the two Dire Straits music videos of "Tunnel of Love". In 1982, she played the role of a fast food chef in the fifth series of Shelley entitled "When the Chip hits the Fan", and appeared opposite Joan Collins in the film Nutcracker. In 1983 she had the starring role in The Balance of Nature, a film about a Cockney girl from a tower block with aspirations to win the Miss United Kingdom competition. The same year, she played Julie Morgan, alias Juletta Shane, in Curse of the Pink Panther, and also appeared opposite Nicky Henson as Nancy in the ITV situation comedy The Happy Apple playing a secretary whose opinions successfully reflected public opinion. She then played a regular role in crime series C.A.T.S. Eyes. From 1983 until 1987 she was a co-presenter on the Channel 4 music programme The Tube alongside Jools Holland and Paula Yates. In 1984 she appeared opposite Roger Daltrey and former Quadrophenia co-star Toyah Willcox in the thriller Murder: Ultimate Grounds for Divorce and played Carol Landau in the 1985 comedy film Shadey, directed by Philip Saville. In 1987, Ash appeared in the first episode of the third series of the ITV comedy series Home to Roost, entitled Human Interest, where she played the role of the flamboyant cleaner, Susie Perkins.