- Born
- Height5′ 8½″ (1.74 m)
- Michele Winstanley is a British actress and playwright. She was born in 1964 in Eindhoven, Netherlands and grew up in Islington. In 1974 she began attending the Anna Scher Theatre. At 16 she was given the role of Cathy in Phil Redmond's groundbreaking drama series, 'Going Out'; the first British television series aimed specifically at teenage viewers. Winstanley is known for her works with cult director Alex Cox, including 'Straight To Hell' and 'Sid and Nancy', and for playing Karen the barmaid at The Nags Head in 'Only Fools and Horses'. Winstanley featured in over fifty Safeways commercials, playing Harry's mother in their long-running award-winning campaign which follows the adventures of Harry, a thoughtful toddler, voiced by Martin Clunes. In the mid 1990s Winstanley branched into writing. Her first play, 'Keepers', was picked up and produced at Hampstead Theatre in 2000. She is married to Ian Michie, and they have one daughter. After stepping back to raise her daughter and learn sign language, Winstanley returned to writing and acting. Her award-nominated play, 'Broken Water', debuted at the Arcola Theatre in 2024.- IMDb Mini Biography By: BabaSoso
- SpouseIan Michie(November 11, 2000 - present) (1 child)
- Nationality / Religious or Ethnic identityBritish
- From 1991-1995 Michele Winstanley volunteered in the ape house at London Zoo. From 1992-1998 Winstanley volunteered at the International Primate Protection League UK. She headed IPPL-UK's campaign called 'Don't Say Cheese with Chimpanzees' which aimed to stop photographers in Spain and Tenerife from using baby chimpanzees as props. Winstanley served on the board of trustees for IPPL-UK until it closed in 2014. Her play 'Keepers' was written from her experiences of working within primate conservation.
- In 2017 Michele Winstanley qualified as a freelance British sign language interpreter, having been inspired to learn sign language after meeting Marli Matlin on the set of 'Walker' in Nicaragua some twenty years earlier.
- Being aimed at teenagers, 'Going Out' contained a few mild profanities. Consequently it was first scheduled to be broadcast at 10pm on Channel 4. Following complaints a re-run the following year was given an earlier time slot.
- Winstanley is the youngest daughter of Paul Winstanley, a writer and political activist who volunteered aboard the Greenpeace ship the Sirius, and artist Maureen Bocking (nee Wickes).
- Michele Winstanley's play 'Broken Water' was written about her experiences around motherhood. The script was shortlisted for the Verity Bargate Award and the Nick Darke Award. The production at Arcola Theatre was awarded an OffComm commendation.
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