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Kéllé Bryan

Kéllé Bryan (born 12 March 1975) is an English singer and actress, known as a member of girl group Eternal.[1] In 2018, she began portraying the role of Martine Deveraux in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, a role she played until 2022. She is also part of the Loose Women panel.

Early life

Bryan was born on 12 March 1975 in Plaistow, Greater London.[2] Aged 11, Bryan joined the Italia Conti Academy stage school, where she completed eight years of performing arts and qualified as a dance teacher. While at the school, she met Louise Nurding – the pair met executive record producer Oliver Smallman, who was forming a girl group.[3] According to Louise, Eternal was initially planned as a trio consisting of her and the Bennett sisters. But then it was proposed that it could be a quartet, so Louise suggested her best friend Kéllé.[4]

Career

Bryan appeared in ITV's The Bill, and on 31 March 1992 she appeared as Debbie in BBC's EastEnders who was a college friend of Lloyd Tavernier (Garey Bridges).[5]

In 1993, Bryan and Nurding, together with sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett formed the 1990s British R&B girl group Eternal. Eternal sold millions of albums,[6] including 16 consecutive top 15 UK chart singles such as "Stay", "Just a Step from Heaven", "Oh Baby I", "Power of a Woman", "I Am Blessed", "Someday", "Don't You Love Me", "I Wanna Be the Only One" and "Angel of Mine".[citation needed] According to Bryan, without Louise Nurding,[6] who left before the start of the recording sessions for the second album,[citation needed] she was "frozen out" by the Bennett sisters and was eventually fired by their solicitor.[1][6][7]

Following her departure from Eternal, Bryan signed a record deal with Mercury Records and began work on her debut solo album, Breakfast in Bed, which would never be released.[6] Her debut single, "Higher than Heaven", was dropped in the UK on 20 September 1999[8] and debuted at number 14 on the national chart.[9] The second one, "I Wanna Know", was set for release on 4 September 2000, but was cancelled[10] shortly before.[11][better source needed]

In 2006, Bryan was a contestant on Love Island 2, finishing as the female runner-up.[6]

In 2008, she contributed backing vocals to "I Found Love", the debut single by Lankai. Bryan also had starring roles in the musical comedy, The X-Tra Factor and a film called The Naked Poet, playing the part of Michelle.[12] In 2012, she played the part of Fran in the BBC comedy Me and Mrs Jones.[13] Bryan joined the cast of the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks in September 2018, portraying the role of Martine Deveraux.[14] From May 2019, she has been appearing regularly on ITV's show Loose Women.[15] After four years of appearing on Hollyoaks, Bryan announced her exit from the show on 3 June 2022 with her final scenes airing that same day.[16]

On 1 June 2023, Bryan made a surprise appearance on stage at former bandmate Louise's Shepherd's Bush Empire concert where they performed 1994 Eternal single "Crazy".[17]

In September 2023, Bryan pulled out of a purported Eternal reunion tour as a show of support of the LGBT community.[18][19] Redknapp and Bryan reported that Easther and Vernie Bennett had refused to perform at a number of proposed LGBT Pride events over objections that the trans community had "hijacked" Pride.[20] Bennetts' anti-LGBTQ manager Denis Ingoldsby[21] commented that the sisters supported the LGBT community and played at many events, but Vernie has raised concerns about trans activists and trans ideology impacting women and children.[22] Bryan went on to post a statement on her Twitter stating she is “an advocate for inclusion and equality for all.”[23]

Personal life and health issues

Bryan was diagnosed with lupus in 1998 and is a patron of St Thomas' Lupus Trust.[24]

In 2010, she married Jay Gudgeon.[25] The pair have two children together.[26]

In 2014, Bryan began to develop serious symptoms of her lupus. She lost a lot of hair, her sight, hearing, and movement deteriorated, and she was unable to speak. She then had a seizure, and the doctors confirmed that her lupus was affecting her brain.[27] After the seizure, Bryan had to relearn how to read and write, and continues to struggle with short-term memory loss.[28]

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

Filmography

Stage

Awards and nominations

References

  1. ^ a b "Where Eternal are now - Top lawyer, Flamingo, Loose Women and horror seizure". Mirror Online. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Kelle Bryan". kellebryan.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  3. ^ "Louise on the World Wide Webpublisher=Louise.brigatti.co.uk". Archived from the original on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  4. ^ "From firings by fax to trans rows: the surprisingly wild history of Eternal". The Telegraph. 26 September 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Life Suppers - Christ Church Leamington Spa". Christ Church. Archived from the original on 10 September 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Whatever Happened To...Eternal?". Female First. Archived from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  7. ^ Ingham, James (26 January 2014). "Louise Redknapp's Eternal strife is 'over' - a reunion is on the cards". Daily Star. Northern & Shell. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 6 November 1999 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "HIGHER THAN HEAVEN". Official Charts. 2 October 1999.
  10. ^ a b "Kéllé Bryan – I Wanna Know (2000, CD)". Discogs.
    "Kéllé Bryan – I Wanna Know (2000, CD) - Discogs". Discogs. "I Wanna Know", Kéllé's stunning new single is set for release 4th September
  11. ^ "Kéllé Bryan - Higher Than Heaven". Can't Stop The Pop. 14 September 2020.
  12. ^ "A Heart Divided". 26 February 2012. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Me & Mrs Jones, Interview with Kelle Bryan". BBC News. Archived from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  14. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (20 September 2018). "Hollyoaks casts Eternal star as Simone sister". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 9 May 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  15. ^ "Our Kelle Bryan opens up about her stroke and living with lupus". ITV News. Archived from the original on 10 September 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  16. ^ Seddon, Dan (3 June 2022). "Hollyoaks star Kéllé Bryan confirms exit as Martine Deveraux after four years". Digital Spy. (Hearst Communications). Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  17. ^ "Caught Live: Louise celebrates her Greatest Hits, stages mini Eternal Reunion during epic 30th anniversary gig". Retro Pop Magazine. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  18. ^ "Eternal's Vernie Bennett breaks silence after Louise Redknapp trans row". Daily Mirror. 26 September 2023.
  19. ^ https://x.com/talktv/status/1706574749361410390?s=57
  20. ^ Lewis, Isobel (26 September 2023). "Louise Redknapp and Kelle Bryan share support for trans community after 'quitting' Eternal reunion over LGBT+ row". The Independent.
  21. ^ https://www.discogs.com/artist/305787-Denis-Ingoldsby
  22. ^ "Final Report – Cass Review".
  23. ^ Manning, Charlotte (25 September 2023). "Kéllé Bryan praised by LGBTQ+ fans as she speaks out after quitting Eternal reunion: 'Epitome of an ally'". Attitude. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  24. ^ "Eternal singer brings lupus awareness to St Thomas'". Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  25. ^ "Loose Women's Kelle Bryan divides viewers after revealing she doesn't buy children Christmas presents". Heart. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  26. ^ "Kelle Bryan: My life as a mum". Mother and Baby. 8 October 2015. Archived from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  27. ^ "Eternal's Kelle Bryan reveals she rang 999 after lupus relapse". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 28 January 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  28. ^ "Mum-of-2 Kelle Bryan opens up about her life-threatening lupus battle". Made for Mums. Archived from the original on 10 September 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  29. ^ "Kéllé Bryan". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  30. ^ "TV Choice Awards Voting Open". digitalspy.co.uk. 27 May 2020.
  31. ^ "Inside Soap Awards reveals full longlist for 2020's ceremony". Digital Spy. 14 September 2020.
  32. ^ Gonzalez, Elliot (8 November 2020). "I TALK TELLY AWARDS 2020 Nominees". I Talk Telly.
  33. ^ Hollyoaks [@Hollyoaks] (25 May 2021). "Voting for the #NTAs is now open! 🙌🙌 Show your support for all of our fantastic nominees by clicking the link and voting all things #Hollyoaks! Let's go #TeamHollyoaks!! ❤️❤️❤️" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  34. ^ a b Alexander, Susannah (28 September 2021). "Inside Soap Awards announces 2021 longlist as voting opens – here's who's up for prizes". Digital Spy. (Hearst Magazines UK). Archived from the original on 2 October 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  35. ^ Gonzalez, Elliot (14 November 2021). "I TALK TELLY AWARDS 2021 Nominations". I Talk Telly. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  36. ^ Houghton, Rianne (21 April 2022). "British Soap Awards 2022 reveals longlist for viewer categories". Digital Spy. (Hearst Communications). Retrieved 19 May 2022.

External links