Five Fast Facts About British Soap Star Lesley Dunlop

Lesley Dunlop is a British actress best known for appearing as Brenda Walker on Emmerdale for over a decade.

Along with her work on the British soap, Dunlop has also appeared in shows such as Doctor Who and Where the Heart Is. From where she was born and raised to marrying her co-star, here are five fast facts about the actress.

Who Is Lesley Dunlop?

Dunlop was born on March 10 in Newcastle, England to father, Pat, who was a television writer, and mother, Marion. Dunlop was raised with her three siblings and started acting when she was 8 years old in school plays. Her first television appearance came when her dad got her a part in the BBC series A Little Princes.

Film History
Dunlop worked on many notable films early on in her career. She appeared alongside Elizabeth Taylor in A Little Night Music and was in Roman Polanski’s Tess in 1979. She also appeared in the Oscar-nominated film The Elephant Man, which was released in 1980.

Soap Career
The actress was cast as Brenda Walker in Emmerdale in 2008 and she’s been on the show ever since. She is so committed to her role, that when Brenda was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2013, Dunlop shaved her head for the storyline.

Serious Surgery

After being diagnosed with hip dysplasia in 2012, Dunlop underwent a hip replacement. The surgery led to severe blood loss, so she had to undergo a transfusion, and was forced to stay at the hospital for a week. She was bedridden for six weeks following the procedure.

Getting Personal With Lesley Dunlop
She dated actor Christopher Guard and the former couple has two daughters together, Rosie and Daisy. She then started dating her Emmerdale co-star Chris Chittell shortly after she joined the show, and the couple tied the knot in 2016.