Jessica Martin

Jessica Martin was born on August 25, 1962, in Fulham, London, England. She graduated with a degree in English and Drama from Westfield College, London University, and also studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Her career began in 1983 as a resident singer at St James’s Hotel and Club. She quickly established herself as an impressionist on the fringe circuit, leading to her becoming a regular voice cast member for the satirical puppet show Spitting Image, where she voiced characters like Barbra Streisand and members of the British royal family. Her television work also included significant roles in Copy Cats and multiple series with Bobby Davro, notably Bobby Davro’s TV Weekly.

On stage, Martin has held numerous leading musical roles. She starred in the West End production of Me and My Girl for two years, from 1989 to 1991, at the Adelphi Theatre, followed by a national tour. Her musical theatre credits include playing Mabel in the 1996 production of Mack and Mabel at the Piccadilly Theatre, Nellie Forbush in South Pacific, Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd, and Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. In 1988, she appeared as the werewolf Mags in the Doctor Who serial The Greatest Show in the Galaxy and later provided the voice of the Queen in the 2007 Doctor Who Christmas special, Voyage of the Damned.

Beyond her performance career, Martin has explored graphic novels. After rekindling her interest in sketching in 2010, she was encouraged to pursue graphic novel creation. Her first comic, It Girl, about Clara Bow, was self-published in 2013 and gained recognition. Her full-length graphic novel, Elsie Harris Picture Palace, which is set in the 1930s British film industry, was shortlisted for the Myriad First Graphic Novel Prize in 2014. Her graphic memoir, Life Drawing: A Life Under Lights, which details her experiences as an actress, singer, and artist, was published in 2019.