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Arabella Weir

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"Onwards and Upwards (novel)" redirects here. For the book by Lynda Page, see Lynda Page.

Arabella Helen Weir
MBE
Born (1957-12-06) 6 December 1957 (age 66)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Comedian, actress, writer
SpouseJeremy Norton (1995–2013)
Children2
FatherMichael Scott Weir

Arabella Helen Weir MBE (born 6 December 1957)[1] is an American-born British comedian, actress and writer. She played roles in the comedy series The Fast Show, Posh Nosh and Two Doors Down, and has written several books, including Does My Bum Look Big in This? Weir has also written for The Independent and The Guardian and the latter's Weekend magazine.

Early life and education

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Weir was born in 1957, in San Francisco, California, United States, to Scottish parents.[2][3] She is the daughter of former British ambassador Sir Michael Weir and his wife, Alison (née Walker),[4] who had met while studying at the University of Oxford; her father was from Dunfermline and her mother was from the Scottish Borders, daughter of the headmaster of a small boarding school.[5][6]

Weir attended nursery school in Washington D.C., where her father was posted as a member of the British diplomatic corps. She later attended the Sacre Coeur Convent in Cairo, and the French Lycee in London.[7] Having spent many holidays in Scotland as a child, Weir describes herself as "culturally Scottish".[6] After her parents' divorce she initially lived with her mother, her two older brothers and her younger sister in the UK.[5] She has described her relationship with her mother as difficult, and in her comedy routine has exposed her mother's "cruel, snobby campaign to shame her into losing weight."[8] Weir's relationship with her mother later became the subject of her debut one-woman show, Does My Mum Loom Big in This?[5] At the age of nine she moved to Bahrain with her father while her brothers were at prep school and her younger sister stayed with their mother.[6]

Weir returned to London after passing the eleven-plus in Bahrain and her father was posted to New York.[5][7] She was a pupil at the Camden School for Girls,[9] where her mother was a teacher, and then studied drama at Middlesex Polytechnic.[5][7] As a teenager, she was a backing singer in the British pub rock band Bazooka Joe, whose bass player was Stuart Goddard, who later became famous as Adam Ant.[10][11]

Career

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Weir's television career breakthrough came in 1994 in BBC's The Fast Show;[12] she later also became widely known for her roles in Posh Nosh and Two Doors Down.[13] In addition to acting, Weir wrote several episodes of The Fast Show and Posh Nosh, and has also written for The Independent[14] and The Guardian.[15]

In 1998, Weir published the international bestseller Does My Bum Look Big in This?, the title of which was a catchphrase of her character "Insecure Woman" in The Fast Show.[16] In 2000, she published her second novel Onwards and Upwards, followed by Stupid Cupid in 2002.

In 2001, Weir took part in the Weakest Link Comedians Special.[17] In 2006, Weir appeared as a contestant in the first series on Celebrity MasterChef.[18] In 2007, Weir appeared in Skins as Michelle Richardson's mother, Anna.[19]

Weir played Chris Harper in Calendar Girls at the Noël Coward Theatre in the West End of London from November 2009 until the play closed in January 2010.[20]

Weir voiced the female incarnation of the Doctor in the Doctor Who Unbound Big Finish 2003 episode Exile.[21] American alternative weekly Houston Press's Jef Rouner described her portrayal as "one of the most melancholy of all the Doctors."[22] Weir appeared in the Doctor Who 2011 Christmas Special The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe.[23]

Weir performed with the original cast from The Fast Show (with the exception of Mark Williams) in six online-only episodes sponsored by the Fosters brand.[24]

From 2013 until 2016, she starred as Jenny in Drifters. In 2015, she joined the team of presenters for BBC Two's Food and Drink programme.[25] She also played a small role in Citizen Khan in the mid-2010s. She has also appeared with Ready Steady Cook.[citation needed]

Since 2016 she has been starring in the BBC Scotland sitcom Two Doors Down.[26][27] Weir's performance was criticised by Ben Arnold, commenting in The Guardian "her Scottish accent [is] still a work in progress, it would seem."[28] When Weir was asked about this comment on Richard Herring's RHLSTP comedy podcast, she said she was doing specifically a Paisley accent on the show and that both her parents were from Scotland, which she considers her home. Weir added that Scottish actor David Tennant had responded to The Guardian's comment with the words "What the f*** are they on about, it's impeccable!", and that Ben Arnold (who himself is English) had later said to her he was sorry for making the comment.[29]

In June 2019, Weir premiered her debut one-woman show, Does My Mum Loom Big in This?, a comedic analysis of Weir's helter-skelter childhood and her difficult relationship with her late mother.[5] The show's title is a pun on Weir's bestselling novel Does My Bum Look Big in This? She took the show to the 2019 Edinburgh Festival.[30][31]

In 2021, Weir narrated the pilot episode of the E4 survival reality competition format Naked, Alone and Racing to Get Home.[32] Sean Pertwee replaced her for the full series.

Weir appeared in three episodes of Coronation Street as Aggie and Ed Bailey's old neighbour, Yvette, in June 2023.[33]

Personal life

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In 1995, Weir began a relationship with Jeremy Norton. They have two children, a daughter and a son.[34] They parted in 2013.[35][36]

Actor David Tennant is a close friend of Weir's and is godfather to her younger child.[37] They met while filming the six-part comedy drama Takin' Over the Asylum for BBC Scotland in 1994.[13] Shortly after, Tennant moved to London and lodged with Weir at her house in Crouch End for five years.[38]

She is a friend of Gordon Brown,[39] and headlined a rally for his think tank, Our Scottish Future, in Edinburgh on 1 June 2023.[40][41]

Weir was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to the Arts and to Young People.[42][43]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1981 The French Lieutenant's Woman Girl on Undercliff Film
Othello Lady in Waiting Television film
1983 Philip Marlowe, Private Eye Carita Episode: "Nevada Gas"
Jury Linda Episode: "Julian"
Nelly's Version Hospital Nurse Television film
1986 The Frog Prince Zar Film
Screen Two Prish Holt
Liz Murison 		Episode: "Honest, Decent and True"
Episode: "Blood Hunt"
Shades of Darkness Anne Page Episode: "The Demon Lover"
Call Me Mister Lena Santon Episode: "Frozen Assets"
1987 The Corner House Annie 4 episodes
1988 Les Girls Polly 7 episodes
This Is David Lander Claudette Dernu Episode: "A Growing Crisis"
1989 The Bill Jo Whitney Episode: "One to One"
Traffik Selina Mini-series. Episode: "The Criminal"
The Paradise Club Rebecca Ford Episode: "Crack in the Mirror"
Alexei Sayle's Stuff Various characters 3 episodes
1990 Harry Enfield's Television Programme 2nd Wife Episode: "#1.3"
1991 The Lime Grove Story Television film. Voice role
1992 KYTV Mandy Stringer Episode: "Talking Head"
1993 The Good Guys Annabel West Episode:"Missing"
One Foot in the Grave Sonia Episode: "Hearts of Darkness"
Bonjour la Classe Granddaughter Episode: "Vive la Revolution"
1994 Takin' Over the Asylum Paula 3 episodes
1994–1995 The All New Alexei Sayle Show Various characters
Nancy 		Series 1; episodes 2 & 3
Series 2; episodes 1–3 & 6
1994–1997, 2000, 2014 The Fast Show Various characters 25 episodes (including 4 Specials)
1995 The Plant Sandra the Lawyer Television film
99-1 Claudia Episode: "A Game of Two Halves"
How to Be a Little Sod Abigail Episode: "A Life of Her Own"
1997 Harry Enfield & Chums Labour Politician Episode: "#2.1"
Shooting Fish Mrs. Stratton-Luce Film
1998 Goodness Gracious Me Various characters Episode: "#1.4"
My Summer with Des Barbara Television film
Ted & Ralph Mrs. Jenkins / Ralph's Mother / Henrietta Gladstone Television film
1998–2000 The Creatives Tanya Gray Main role. 12 episodes
1999 McBeal Appeal Television film
You Ain't Seen All These, Right? Various characters Television film
The Timekeepers of the Millennium Kronos
2000 Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) Judith Milton Episode: "Paranoia"
2002 Killer Queen! Narrator Documentary film
2003 The Fast Show Farewell Tour Various characters Television film
Posh Nosh Minty Marchmont Main role. 8 episodes
Test the Nation: The National IQ Test 2003 Celebrity participant Quiz show
2004 Spooks Michelle Molby Episode: "Celebrity" (uncredited)
2007 Hana's Helpline Hana 6 episodes. Voice role
2007–2008 Skins Anna 3 episodes
Genie in the House Peggy 3 episodes
2009 Hotel Trubble Sister Matic Episode: "A Sistery Mystery"
2011 The Fast Show Faster Insecure Woman / Mother / Northern Nigella Episodes: "#1.1" and "#1.3"
Doctor Who Billis Episode: "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe"
2013 Citizen Khan Jackie Episode: "Shazia's Gym Visit"
Two Doors Down Beth Baird Television film. Pilot to the series
2013–2016 Drifters Jenny (Meg's mother) Recurring role. 12 episodes
2014 Midsomer Murders Angela Linklater Episode: "Wild Harvest"
House of Fools 1970s Wife
TV Woman 		Episode 4: "The Wig Affair" (uncredited)
Episode 5: "The Birthday Affair"
2015 Nurse Mrs. Hamilton Episode: "#1.2"
2016–2023 Two Doors Down Beth Baird Main role. 46 episodes
2018 Colette Mme. de Caillavet Film
2019 Pure Ingrid Episode 1
2023 Coronation Street Yvette Leighton 3 episodes

Books

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Novels

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  • Does My Bum Look Big in This?: the Diary of an Insecure Woman (1998)
  • Onwards and Upwards (2000)
  • Stupid Cupid (2002)
  • The Rise and Rise of Tabitha Baird (2014), YA
  • The Endless Trials of Tabitha Baird (2015), YA

Non-fiction

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  • The Real Me Is Thin: or Why All Women Think They're Fat (2011)[44]

References

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  1. ^ Arabella Weir date of birth, Californiabirthindex.org. Accessed 20 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Arabella Weir". 2.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 31 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Laughed off the Page Series 3, Episode 6 - Arabella Weir". British Comedy Guide.
  4. ^ Adel Darwish Obituary: Sir Michael Weir, The Independent, 28 June 2006
  5. ^ a b c d e f Saner, Emine (8 July 2019). "Arabella Weir on her aggressively unhappy mother: 'In my memory, she got rid of me'". The Guardian.
  6. ^ a b c Starbrick, Susan (18 November 2016). "Two Doors Down star Arabella Weir on her Scottish roots, motherhood and fractured family ties". The Herald. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  7. ^ a b c Sale, Jonathan (22 January 1998). "Education: Passed/failed: Arabella Weir". The Independent. London. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  8. ^ Grice, Elizabeth (31 August 2021). "Arabella Weir interview: 'Mum told me: I can't f-----g bear the sight of you'". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 7 January 2024. Alison Weir's humiliation of her daughter began when Arabella was a small child. "I wasn't even that fat," she says. "We're not talking of a morbidly-obese kid. But my mother was obsessed with fatness. She made me feel you aren't loveable or deserving if you're fat. She couldn't conceive of me doing well in life or making boys like me unless I was slim and pretty."
  9. ^ Davidson, Max (6 September 2008). "Town vs gown: north London". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  10. ^ "Education: Passed/failed: Arabella Weir". Independent.co.uk. 22 January 1998. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  11. ^ Reed, John (30 August 2014). House of Fun: The Story of Madness. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9781783233342. Retrieved 2 June 2017 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ Gray, Susan (23 February 2020). "Actress Arabella Weir: 'I made money from the thing that plagued me my whole life – my bum'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  13. ^ a b "Arabella Weir is back in Two Doors Down". The Scotsman. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  14. ^ "Arabella Weir: Have it all? If only men would let us". The Independent. 17 November 2009. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  15. ^ "Arabella Weir". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  16. ^ Weir, Arabella (8 July 2011). "How Arabella Weir made peace with her body". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  17. ^ "The Weakest Link (UK) Season 3 Episode 7 Comedians Special". tv.com. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  18. ^ "Celebrity Masterchef dishes up more delights". Belfast NewsLetter. 26 June 2020.
  19. ^ "Arabella Weir". 14 March 2022 – via open.spotify.com.
  20. ^ Spencer, Charles (11 November 2009). "Calendar Girls at the Noel Coward Theatre, review". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  21. ^ Peck, Matthew Wace (3 August 2013). "Op-Ed: Is the new Doctor Who a woman?". Digital Journal. digitaljournal.com. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  22. ^ Rouner, Jef (20 September 2013). "Doctor Who: The 10 Best Alternative Universe Doctors". Houston Press. Voice Media Group. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  23. ^ Frost, Vicky (21 September 2011). "Cast for Doctor Who Christmas special unwrapped". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  24. ^ "Foster's – The Fast Show". Fosters.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 November 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  25. ^ Weir, Arabella (26 June 2015). "Arabella Weir: The kebabs, the vodkas, and the lock-ins that help keep a show on the road". The Independent. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  26. ^ Gibbings-Jones, Mark; Robinson, John; Seale, Jack; Virtue, Graeme; Harrison, Phil; Wright, Jonathan; Arnold, Ben; Howlett, Paul (21 November 2016). "Monday's best TV: The Last Miners; Back in Time for Brixton; Our Guy in China". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  27. ^ "Two Doors Down, BBC Two". The Arts Desk. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  28. ^ Mueller, Andrew; Robinson, John; Verdier, Hannah; Arnold, Ben (April 2016). "Friday's best TV: Easter 1916: The Enemy Files, Billy Connolly's Tracks Across America and Boomers". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  29. ^ "RHLSTP Edinburgh 2019 13 - Bryony Kimmings & Arabella Weir". Play.acast.com. 17 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  30. ^ McLean, Craig (5 August 2019). "Arabella Weir: I was a few months pregnant and my Mum asked 'Have you any idea how fat you are?'". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  31. ^ "Arabella Weir: Does My Mum Loom Big In This?". Berksnest.com. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  32. ^ "Naked, Alone and Racing to Get Home". UKGameshows.
  33. ^ Meyer, Tamzin (5 June 2023). "Coronation Street: Who is Yvette? Where you've seen actress Arabella Weir before". Entertainment Daily.
  34. ^ Billen, Andrew (3 April 2002). "Marriage? It's just a joke..." Evening Standard. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  35. ^ Ross, Deborah (12 December 2013). "Arabella Weir: Someone up there likes me". The Independent. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  36. ^ Gray, Susan (23 February 2020). "Actress Arabella Weir: 'I made money from the thing that plagued me my whole life – my bum'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  37. ^ McFadden, Joan (10 March 2018). "Actress is full of bright ideas to put Kirkcaldy back on the map". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  38. ^ Weir, Arabella (6 April 2008). "It's OK to think Doctor Who is gay, says David Tennant". The Times. London. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  39. ^ "My heroes and heroines: Arabella Weir". The Daily Telegraph. 11 December 2011.
  40. ^ Elliards, Xander (11 May 2023). "Gordon Brown's think tank to hold pro-Union rally in Scotland". The National.
  41. ^ "Making Britain Work For Scotland: A Poverty Free Future For All". allevents.in. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  42. ^ "Awards for New Year 2024" (PDF). www.gov.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  43. ^ "Supplement 64269". The London Gazette. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  44. ^ Weir, Arabella (3 July 2011). "Once Upon A Life: Arabella Weir". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
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