Bonita Melody Lysette Langford (born 22 July 1964), known simply as Bonnie Langford, is an English actress, dancer and entertainer. She came to prominence as a child star in the early 1970s before subsequently becoming well known for her role as Mel Bush, a companion of Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy's Doctor in the BBC series Doctor Who in the mid 1980s. She has since appeared on stage in various musicals in the West End and on Broadway, shows such as Peter Pan, Cats, The Pirates of Penzance and Chicago, and more recently on TV in series 1 (2006) & series 9 (2014) of the reality competition programme Dancing on Ice. As of 26 May 2015 she has been a regular cast member in the BBC One soap operaEastEnders as Carmel Kazemi. For her role in the show she has received the 2016 British Soap Award for Best Newcomer.
Eastenders jonny labey paul bonnie langford carmel dancing
Early life
Bonnie Langford attended the Arts Educational School, St Catherine's School, Twickenham and the Italia Conti Academy stage school. Her first stage appearance was at four months, and her first public appearance was at 15 months when she danced in specially-made ballet shoes.
Public attention
She first came to public attention when, aged six years old, she won the talent show Opportunity Knocks. This led to early fame in the television series Just William (playing Violet Elizabeth Bott), the 1974 Broadway revival of Gypsy starring Angela Lansbury, the 1976 film Bugsy Malone, and the 1977 film Wombling Free. During this time, she was appearing as a regular on a children's prime-time show made by Yorkshire Television called Junior Showtime, along with child stars Lena Zavaroni, Neil Reed and Glynn Poole among others. Langford appeared as Scarlett O'Hara's daughter in the London production of Scarlett (1972).
Doctor Who
Between 1986 and 1987, Langford played the role of Mel, companion to both the sixth and seventh Doctors in the classic science fiction series Doctor Who. She returned to the role in 1993 for Dimensions in Time, a special charity Doctor Who/EastEnders crossover episode as part of the BBC's Children in Need. She has continued to reprise the role in several audio dramas alongside the Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy Doctors.
In 2006, Langford was a celebrity contestant in the first series of ITV's Dancing on Ice, partnering professional figure skaterMatt Evers. Their routines were characterised by the dramatic lifts and tricks they performed and were amongst the most ambitious in the competitions. Viewers saw her bang her head as she was spun on the ice during rehearsals, illustrating the danger of some of the moves they were attempting. Their appearances were also notable for the differing reception they received from the panel of judges (which consistently voted them highly, awarding them the highest total scores and the only two maximum scores from individual judges) and the voting public (who twice placed them in the bottom two pairs, forcing a "skate off" to remain in the competition). They finished in third place overall.
Langford and Evers appeared again on the programme in the one-off Champion of Champions show which followed series two. They were scored second overall by the judging panel but again the public vote was less favourable and they were amongst the four teams eliminated in the first round of the competition. Langford then toured with Torvill and Dean's Dancing on Ice: The Tour in 2007.
In 2014, Bonnie returned to Dancing on Ice for the ninth and final series (10 Week run), which saw the favourite celebrities from previous series. This time she was partnered with professional ice skater Andrei Lipanov. She was eliminated in Week 5. In February 2014 she was announced as one of eight celebrities that would be appearing in Torvill & Deans Dancing on Ice:The Final Tour between March & April 2014.
Since Dancing on Ice
Langford's appearance on Dancing on Ice sparked a regeneration in her career. She returned to the West End theatre in 2006 playing the role of Roxie Hart in Chicago.
In 2006 and 2007, Langford appeared in the Birmingham and Plymouth tours of Guys and Dolls playing Miss Adelaide Adams, a dance hall hostess.
In 2009 and 2010, she again appeared in Chicago as Roxie Hart.
Langford played the role of Roz in the first UK tour production of the Broadway musical, 9 to 5, which was launched at the Opera House, Manchester on 12 October 2012.
EastEnders
On 5 April 2015, it was announced that Langford had joined long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders for a guest role, later promoted to a regular role as character Carmel Kazemi, the mother of established character, Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami). Carmel is described as an "overly protective" and "outspoken" mother. Commenting on the casting, Langford said: "I’m so thrilled and delighted to be part of EastEnders. I’m a great fan of the show and think the recent 30th Anniversary was sensational and shows just how good British television can be. To be part of this family is an absolute privilege."
Charity work and personal life
Langford has supported the BBC's Children in Need appeal (1983 and 1987) and Comic Relief appeal (2007). During her 1987 Children in Need appearance, she had her ears pierced for the first time live on air after some of her friends had promised to make a large donation if she did so.
She has also appeared in celebrity versions of game shows to support Childline when she played in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? alongside Anton Du Beke in December 2006, and the CdLs Foundation on both The Weakest Link in January 2007 (which she won) and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, this time alongside Jason Gardiner, in January 2008. After a brief hiatus she has returned to screen and stage following her acclaimed performances on celebrity talent show Dancing on Ice. In 2009, Langford moved to the United States, and for a couple of years divided her time between New York City and Britain.
Langford lives with her husband, fellow actor Paul Grunert, whom she married in Mauritius in 1995, along with their two daughters, the elder of whom is Grunert's child from his previous marriage. The younger daughter, Biana Jay was born in October 2000.
She is the aunt of actresses Summer, Scarlett, Zizi and Saskia (Sasi) Strallen.
Langford, alongside Kerry Ellis, is the patron for Performance Preparation Academy in Guildford.
TV and film appearances
Television
22nd National Television Awards - ITV 1 - January 25th - Guest (As part of Eastenders Cast) Nominated for Best Serial Drama.
Children in Need 2016 - BBC 1 - 18th November 2016 - EastEnders Cast Dance - Carmel Kazemi
The Saturday Show (TV programme) - Channel 5 - (4th June) - Guest
The British Soap Awards 2016 - ITV 1 - (29th May) - Guest & Winner of the Best Newcomer Award
Saturday Kitchen - BBC 1 - (14th May) - Guest
21st National Television Awards - ITV 1 - January 20 - Guest (As part of EastEnders winning the best Serial Drama award)
Strictly Come Dancing - BBC 1 - Series 12 - Week 11 Quarter final - (6 December 2014) - (featured in Simon Webbe & Kristina Rihanoffs Pre dance video clip) - Herself
Pointless Celebrities - Series 6 (Mixed Bag 2) - BBC 1 - (1 November 2014) - Contestant with Todd Carty
The Wright Stuff - Channel 5 - (10 March, June 28, 18 December 2014) - Guest
This Morning - ITV 1 - (3 February 2014) - Guest
Dancing on Ice (series 9)(10 week run)- ITV 1-January 5 – 9 March 2014 - Herself (contestant) - Eliminated 2 February (Week 5)
Lorraine (TV programme) - ITV 1–5 January 2014 - Herself
Loose Women – (21 May 2013) – ITV 1 – Herself
The Spa (sitcom) – Sky (28 February 2013) – Herself
The Alan Titchmarsh Show – ITV 1 – (5 November 2012) – Herself
BBC Breakfast – BBC 1 – (19 September 2012) – Herself
This Morning- ITV 1 – (19 December 2011) – Herself
Dancing on Ice Series 5 -(Preview Show & Programme 5) – ITV 1 – (2010) – Herself (archive footage)
This Morning – ITV 1 – (November 2009 & January 2010) – (Holiday Quiz Segment) – Herself (Presenter)
Dancing on Ice: The Story of Bolero with Torvill and Dean – (2009) – ITV 1 – Herself
The Paul O'Grady Show- Channel 4 – (2008 & 2006, 2 Episodes) – Herself
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway- ITV 1 – (2008) – Herself
Spamalot – (July – September 2012) – Westend Run – Harold Pinter Theatre – The Lady of the Lake
The Night of 1,000 Voices – (May 2012) – UK Musical Theatre Concert – The Royal Albert Hall – Herself (Performer)
Spamalot – (January – May 2012) – UK Tour, including Bristol Hippodrome, New Theatre, Oxford, Glasgow King's Theatre & Edinburgh Playhouse – The Lady of the Lake
Brits Off Broadway – (Cabaret Show) – (November 2010 – January 2011) – 59E59 Theatres E:Cafe (New York) – Herself
Queen of the Stardust Ballroom – (Staged Reading) – November 2010 – Directed by Jerry Mitchel & Produced by Barry Brown – New York
Chicago – US Tour – (summer 2010) – Roxie Hart
The Oscar Show – Birdland – Jazz Club – New York – (February 2010) – Herself (Singer)
Chicago – (December 2009 – January 2010) – Ambassador Theatre (New York), Broadway, USA & Cambridge Theatre in London's West End – Roxie Hart
Chicago – (July, September–November 2009) – Ottawa, Ontario National Arts Centre – Roxie Hart
Chicago – (June–July 2009) – Montreal, Canada Place des Arts – Roxie Hart
Torvill and Dean's Dancing on Ice: The Tour 2008 (April – May 2008) – Herself
Chicago (December 2007 – February 2008)- Cambridge Theatre – Roxie Hart
Short and Curly (May – July 2007) – Herself & Sandi Toksvig
Torvill and Dean's Dancing on Ice: The Tour 2007 (March – May 2007) – Herself (Winner of the Tour)
Guys and Dolls (December 2006 – February 2007) – Alexandra Theatre – Miss Adelaide
Chicago (May to July 2006) – Adelphi Theatre- London and the Cambridge Theatre – Roxie Hart
