Amanda Holden

Amanda Louise Holden (born 16 February 1971) is an English actress who is well known for her role as Sarah Trevanion on Wild at Heart, her marriage to Family Fortunes presenter Les Dennis and for being a judge on Britain's Got Talent.

Holden was born in Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire. She was brought up in the village of Waltham Chase, by her mother Judith Mary Harrison and stepfather Leslie Drew Collister. She joined the Bishop's Waltham Little Theatre Company when she was nine, and credits Angie Blackford as influential in her early stage career. When she was 16 the family moved to Bournemouth, Dorset and ran a small B&B while Amanda herself studied Drama and English literature A levels with Terry Clarke and Charles Lamb at the Jellicoe Theatre, now part of The University of Bournemouth. She successfully auditioned for the independent drama school Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in the Wood Green area of North London when she was 18, graduating in July 1992.

Her first television appearance was as a contestant on the UK game show Blind Date in 1991, since which she has become a familiar face on British television. Holden is well known for her role in the ITV drama Wild at Heart as Sarah Trevanion. She is also known for being a judge on Britain's Got Talent alongside Piers Morgan and Simon Cowell. She has also appeared on various British comedy and drama series such as Smack the Pony, EastEnders, Hearts and Bones, Cutting It and as a co-star with Harry Enfield in comedy series Celeb.

In April 2009 it was reported that the US network CBS had offered Holden the job of one time guest presenter on The Early Show, a daytime talk show.[1] Holden confirmed that she would host the show,[2] and presented alongside regular presenters Harry Smith and Maggie Rodriguez on 1 June.[3] Holden has since been signed up with CBS as a British correspondent for The Early Show.