Leslie Ash

Leslie Ash (born 19 February 1960 in Clapham, London) is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Deborah Burton in the BBC sitcom Men Behaving Badly, Vanessa Lytton in the BBC medical drama Holby City from 2009 to 2010 and Karen Buckley in the ITV drama Where the Heart Is from 2000 to 2003. Her book My Life Behaving Badly: The Autobiography was published in 2007.

Early career

Ash first appeared on British television in 1964 at the age of four asking "Mummy, why are your hands so soft?" in an advertisement for the washing-up product Fairy Liquid. She was educated at the independent Italia Conti Academy stage school, and then started a career as a fashion model appearing on the cover of a number of teenager magazines, including Pink, and Jackie, for which she was photographed by David Bailey.

Having appeared with her sister Debbie in the 1978 British slapstick comedy Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse; her first major film role was playing the romantic lead in Quadrophenia in 1979. In 1980, Ash appeared in the Iron Maiden music video, "Women in Uniform". In 1983, she played Julie Morgan, alias Juletta Shane, in Curse of the Pink Panther. In 1983, she also appeared opposite Nicky Henson as Nancy in the ITV situation comedy The Happy Apple playing a secretary whose opinions successfully reflected public opinion. She then played a regular role in crime series C.A.T.S. Eyes.