Wendi Louise Peters (born 29 February 1968) is an English actress. Peters began her acting career in theatre, with appearances in various productions includingThe Scarlet Pimpernel (1991),Guys and Dolls (1991),Into the Woods (1992),Bedroom Farce (1996) andNoises Off (1997). Then from 2003 to 2007 and again in 2014, she portrayedCilla Battersby-Brown in theITVsoap operaCoronation Street.

After leavingCoronation Street to pursue other opportunities, she competed in and reached the final ofCelebrity MasterChef, before returning to the stage to appear in various touring productions andWest End theatre roles. She reprised her role of Cilla in 2014 for a brief stint, before appearing in theCBBC seriesHetty Feather from 2015 to 2017. Then from 2023 to 2024, Peters appeared asNina Bulsara in theBBC daytime soap operaDoctors.

Peters was born inBlackburn,Lancashire on 29 February 1968 making her aLeapling. As a child, Peters attended dance school and performed in various school plays. She has cited seeingAnnie on theWest End in 1980 as the catalyst for her wanting to pursue acting for her career. Her professional acting career began in 1987 when she performed at theCrucible Theatre,Sheffield. In 1992, she portrayedRed Riding Hood in a stage production ofInto the Woods, a role Peters described as one of her favourites in a 2021 interview.^[2] After various stage roles includingThe Scarlet Pimpernel (1991),Guys and Dolls (1991),Bedroom Farce (1996) andNoises Off (1997), Peters made her television debut four years later in theBBC medical drama seriesCardiac Arrest. She then appeared in minor roles inOut of the Blue andBad Girls.^[3]

In 2003, Peters was cast in the role ofCilla Battersby-Brown in theITV soap operaCoronation Street.^[3] In January 2006, she competed on ITV'sSoapstar Superstar, raising £35,000 for her chosen charities.^[4] In January 2007, it was announced that Peters would be leaving the soap after four years. She made the decision as a result of wanting to spend more time with family alongside pursuing other projects.^[5] She reprised the role in 2008 as part of a straight-to-DVD special,Out of Africa.^[6] Also in 2008, Peters appeared onAdrenaline Junkie withJack Osborne, where she jumped out of a helicopter at 9,000 feet overTable Mountain.^[7]

In 2009, Peters was a finalist onCelebrity Masterchef.^[8] Later that year, she toured Ireland with the one-woman playMrs Whippy, written byCecelia Ahern.^[9] Peters then toured the UK withJenny Eclair andSusie Blake inGrumpy Old Women Live 2 – Chin Up Britain . The production returned for a season at theNovello Theatre in London'sWest End in 2010.^[10]

In 2010, Peters played the lead inNorthern Broadsides' production ofThe Game byHarold Brighouse. The play had not been performed in 100 years and her performance garnered critical acclaim.^[11] Dominic Cavendish ofThe Daily Telegraph said, "Ma was played with hilarious gruffness and rolling pin obduracy by Wendi Peters. Her performance alone is worth the price of admission".^[12] Peters was described as "simply magnificent" byMichael Billington ofThe Guardian.^[13]

In 2011, Peters appeared atHull Truck Theatre Company to play Bet inJohn Godber's two-hander,April in Paris. Peters again received acclaim from the press in the revival.^[14] A year later, she played Princess Puffer in Aria Entertainment's London revival ofThe Mystery of Edwin Drood, a musical comedy byRupert Holmes, based onCharles Dickens' unfinished novel. The production ran at theLandor Theatre and transferred to theArts Theatre for a limited run.^[15] In 2012, she appeared in an episode ofCrime Stories as Marion Jackson. Then from November 2012 to January 2013, Peters starred inWhite Christmas atthe Lowry atSalford Quays.^[16] In 2013,Jonathan Miller directedGitha Sowerby'sRutherford and Son in which Peters starred as Mrs Henderson to critical acclaim.^[17]Libby Purves ofThe Times said, "Wendi Peters has a fabulous cameo as a whining petitioner, unsentimentally illustrating the company's workforce challenges".^[17] Other press went on to add she was "unforgettable"^[18] and wrote that her scene was "formidable".^[19] She reprised the role at theDominion Theatre in late 2014.^[20] Also in 2014, Peters reprised her role of Cilla inCoronation Street for a six-week stint.^[21]

Peters co-starred withIan Reddington andChristopher Villiers in the 2015 production ofJoan Littlewood's musicalOh, What a Lovely War!, directed byTerry Johnston, which toured nationally.^[22] Also that year, she played the lead role in the new playHatched 'n' Dispatched atThe Park Theatre, London.^[23] 2015 also marked her first appearance on theCBBC seriesHetty Feather, a role she appeared in until 2017.^[24] In 2018, Peters took on the role of Cissy Robson in the UK tour ofQuartet.^[25] Peters then starred in a UK tour ofSalad Days in 2018, followed by a stint as Sylvie in the off-West End run ofCall Me Vicky.^[26] She also appeared inBig The Musical for nine weeks.

In March 2021, she appeared in an episode of theBBC soap operaDoctors asNicky Connelly.^[27] In 2022, Peters was the voiceover for theChannel 5 seriesHappy Campers: The Caravan Park. A year after her one-episode stint, it was announced that she would be joining the main cast ofDoctors asDr. Nina Bulsara. Peters began filming on the soap in October 2022 and began appearing onscreen from February 2023.^[28] She announced her exit from the series after 11 months in September 2023.^[29]

Peters returned to the stage starring as the Wicked Queen Carabosse in theStockport Plaza's annual pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, for thewinter 2024-25 season.

• Wendi Peters atIMDb

• 1968 births
• Living people
• Actresses from Blackburn
• English film actresses
• English musical theatre actresses
• English soap opera actresses
• English stage actresses
• English television actresses

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