Jennie McAlpine

Early life

McAlpine was born and bred in Bury. She is of Scottish and Irish descent, with a grandfather from County Kerry and a grandmother from County Sligo. As a young girl she used to put on shows on the patio for the neighbours, charging them 50 pence apiece. She did song and dance routines, copying groups like Bananarama.

Her father Tom McAlpine works in mental health and was recently awarded the OBE for services to mental healthcare. With his encouragement she took up amateur dramatics at the age of eight, when father and daughter appeared together in a pantomime by the Bury Parish Players. She was the fairy and he was the dame. As a teenager she joined the Carol Godby Theatre Workshop. McAlpine's parents separated when she was young after which she lived with her father. She has a brother, Thomas McAlpine (b. 1971).

She had a difficult time at school and did not like teachers:

Career

McAlpine's big break came in 1997 when, at the age of 13, she did stand-up comedy in London and came second in a Young Comedian of the Year competition run by Fanta. At the grand final at the Comedy Store in London she met TV presenter Jonathan Ross and comedian Peter Kay, and was so inspired that she entered a second time in 1998, finishing second again. She spent four years (1997–2001) doing stand-up comedy at charity nights, galas and pub nights with her father in Bury.

McAlpine played Michelle Morley in Emmerdale from 1999 to 2001. After leaving school she enrolled in her local college, Holy Cross, and began studying for A-levels. At the age of 17 she auditioned for the part of Fiz Brown on Coronation Street, a role she has played since 2001. McAlpine auditioned for the role with her arm In a sling, after dislocating her shoulder in a fall two days earlier. She drew inspiration for Fiz from her father's work with troubled children. She was originally hired for just five episodes, and went back to studying for her A-levels and working part-time in Boots The Chemist. However her comic timing had so impressed Coronation Street producers that they offered her a long-term contract.

In 2008, McAlpine went to South Africa to film Coronation Street: Out of Africa.

In 2008 she appeared in a Freeview advertisement promoting its PVR service. She has been a narrator for the Royal Festival Hall.

Additionally she has made a variety of television appearances notably on Big Brother's Big Mouth, F*** Off, I'm Ginger, 8 out of 10 Cats, The Xtra Factor and The Door.

In December 2009, she appeared on the Christmas special of Podge & Rodge's Stickit Inn for RTÉ in Ireland with Johnny Vegas, where she revealed her Irish ancestry.

In November 2010, Jennie appeared as a guest panelist on ITV's flagship show Loose Women, in celebration of the 50 Years that Coronation Street has been on air.

In November and December 2016, Jennie covered for Becky Want on BBC Radio Manchester.

Game show appearances

Personal life

McAlpine has been in a relationship with Chris Farr, a restaurant manager, since 2005. On the subject of her Scottish ancestry, and famous red hair she said:

On 21 May 2014, McAlpine stated on Twitter that she was pregnant. She gave birth to her first child, Albert on 29 November 2014. She married her long-term partner Chris Farr in January 2017.

Other projects

Since the age of 17 McAlpine has devoted her spare time to helping deprived children in Egypt through the Thebes Project in Luxor. She has also opened a restaurant in Manchester city centre, Annie's, with her boyfriend Chris Farr. The restaurant serves modern British cuisine.