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Margi Clarke | |
|---|---|
 Clarke in 2013 | |
| Born | (1954-05-25)25 May 1954 (age 70) Kirkby,Lancashire, England |
| Other names | Margox |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, radio & television presenter |
| Television | Making Out (1989–1991) The Good Sex Guide (1991) Coronation Street (1998–1999, 2008–2010) |
| Partner | Jamie Reid (former)[1] |
| Children | 2 |
| Family | Frank Clarke (brother) Angela Clarke (sister) |
Margi Clarke (born 25 May 1954) is an English actress and radio and television presenter. She had a leading role in the filmLetter to Brezhnev (1985), a low-budget film which had an international release. Later, Clarke playedJackie Dobbs in theITVsoap operaCoronation Street (1998–1999, 2008–2010).
Clarke was born and raised inKirkby,Lancashire.[2] Her career as a presenter began in 1978 on the late-night television magazine showWhat's On, broadcast only in theGranada region. From 1978 to 1985, she was the lead singer of variouspunk rock bands; including,Margox and the Zincs; which initially featuredHolly Johnson andAndrew Schofield as guitarists.[3][4]
In 1983, Clarke appeared as Fran, aCND campaigner, in two early episodes of theLiverpool-setChannel 4soap operaBrookside, credited as Margi MacGregor.[5][6][7]
She featured in the low-budget filmLetter to Brezhnev (1985), the screenplay being adapted by her brother from his own play.[2] It concerns two working-class Liverpool young women who meet two Russian sailors; the other lead part was played byAlexandra Pigg. The film was made for around £50,000 (Clarke called this "the cocaine budget onRambo"), and became an international hit. At the nextEvening Standard British Film Awards, Clarke was awarded the prize for "Most Promising Newcomer".[2] Margi had originated her role of Theresa inLetter to Brezhnev a few years earlier when she played the role in a modest run at theLiverpool Playhouse in 1983.
Clarke followedLetter to Brezhnev with a European trilogy for Finnish brothersAki andMika Kaurismäki:[2]Helsinki Napoli All Night Long,I Hired a Contract Killer andL.A. Without a Map.
Clarke had a lead role in the filmsLetter to Brezhnev (1985),The Dressmaker (1988) andStrike It Rich (1990), and appeared in thePet Shop Boys' video for their 1987 single,"Rent". She was the stand-in host forPaula Yates onChannel 4'sThe Tube on several occasions.[2] Clarke was also the voice for the character of Bixie inWeetabix adverts.[8]
In 1989, she was cast as Queenie in theBBC seriesMaking Out, set in aManchester electronics factory and written byDebbie Horsfield. The show ran for three series. In 1991, she returned to presenting, this time on the late nightITV showThe Good Sex Guide which gained audience figures of 13 million. She received aRoyal Television Society (RTS) Award[2] for "Best Female Presenter" in 1994. A second series and third series followed. the last entitledThe Good Sex Guide Abroad. Clarke turned down an offer to take the series into a late night chat show format, the host eventually beingToyah Willcox.
In 1991, Clarke performed withHalf Man Half Biscuit on the single "No Regrets", a cover of the song, "Non, je ne regrette rien", best known from the version recorded byÉdith Piaf. In the same year, she also portrayed Ronnie O'Dowd, a 'sexy' female boxer who follows her father into the world of 'pugilism' and rescues him from being 'on the skids' in New York to bring him back to Liverpool with her winnings inBlonde Fist.
Following the success ofThe Good Sex Guide, the ITV franchise holderCarlton offered Clarke her own day-time show, and the resulting programme,Swank, co-presented with fashion designerDavid Emanuel,[2] ran for two series. In 1994, Clarke tried a new venture,stand-up comedy, and took her one-woman show21st Century Scutt around the country - the tour included a stint at theEdinburgh Film Festival and theRoyal Festival Hall on London'sSouth Bank. She was a regular guest on Channel 4's music showThe Word, including one occasion where she tricked presenterTerry Christian into showing his testicles in a hidden camera set-up.
Around this time, Clarke's partner was the artistJamie Reid (known for his work with theSex Pistols) and she was paid an undisclosed sum to pose nude while nine months pregnant with their daughter; the couple split up around 1997.[1] The resulting pictures were a response to the then recentVanity Fair spread of actressDemi Moore, in which she was shown nude while also nine months pregnant. The pictures of Clarke were published in theSunday People tabloid. She also published her ownvegetarian cookery book,Margi Clarke's Better than Sex Cookbook. In 1994, Clarke worked with Welsh political bandAnhrefn for the single "Clutter from the Gutter".
Her last role before taking a three-year sabbatical, following the death of her mother and birth of her daughter, was in theBBC1 serial,Soul Survivors co-starringIan McShane. She returned to acting in 1998, joining thesoap operaCoronation Street, playingJackie Dobbs. She left in 1999, and joined the cast ofFivesoap operaFamily Affairs, staying for just under a year, as well as guesting in an episode of the BBC'sCasualty.
She also had roles in two films released in 2002,Revengers Tragedy (adapted from the17th century play), directed byAlex Cox and24 Hour Party People, the biopic of theFactory/Hacienda days in Manchester, which Clarke participated in during her 'Margox' days of the 1970s. In feature filmThe Boys from County Clare (2003) she played the role of Dove.
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In 2004, Clarke appeared on theFive reality TV showThe Farm and had a leading role in the theatrical filmSchool for Seduction co-starringKelly Brook. In 2006, Clarke had a role in an episode of theHollyoaks spin-offHollyoaks: In the City and around the same time she was also a contestant on a celebrity version of the BBC gameshowThe Weakest Link.
Clarke is often referred to as "The Queen of Liverpool" by the media. This tag was originally attributed to Clarke by music promoterMalcolm McLaren.[9] In 2005, she began her successful on-line health and beauty range "Soul Rinse" which she runs parallel to her acting career. In 2006–2007, she was heard on the airwaves ofNorth-West radio station105.4 Century Radio as co-presenter of the breakfast show and their late night phone-in shows.
In August 2007, Clarke was a guest onBig Brother's Big Mouth onChannel 4 withPete Burns, a Liverpool-born friend and performer for many years. At the end of 2007 it was reported in theLiverpool Echo that Clarke would be playing the role of Kath in a revival of theJoe Orton playEntertaining Mr Sloane, as part of the city's Capital of Culture celebrations for 2008.
On 11 January 2008, as part of the opening night celebrations of Liverpool'sEuropean Capital of Culture year, Clarke was one of around a hundred local celebrities hoisted hidden in a blue container by a crane 30 feet into the air, landing on the main stage atSt. George's Hall in the city. The celebrities stepped out of the container marked "Precious Cargo" to rapturous applause. The same evening Clarke appeared as a panel guest on theBBC Two late-night showNewsnight Review, talking about her home town's Capital of Culture celebrations.
In January 2008, Clarke joined Liverpool's talk radio station City Talk 105.9, presenting a late night show on Saturday evenings.
Clarke returned to a prime-time starring role in the second series of the British sitcomBenidorm on ITV in 2008 and reprised her role asJackie Dobbs inCoronation Street on 2 January 2009,[10] and again on 22 February 2010.
Also in February 2010, Clarke appeared with her daughter Rowan in an episode of theBBC'sCelebrity Cash in the Attic.
Clarke appeared inScousers in St Helens on 26 October 2010 alongsideTina Malone,Billy Butler and several others. In late 2010, she recorded numerous music tracks such asLike a Memory andHolographic Disco which are available oniTunes and in November 2010 she released her autobiographyMargi Clarke – Now You See Me.
She appeared in an episode of the BBC drama seriesWaterloo Road in May 2011[11] and participated inCelebrity MasterChef in 2011. She also appeared in the Christmas edition ofCome Dine With Me in December 2012.
sharp-tongued Scouse wit
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