Kate Robbins

Kate Elizabeth Robbins (born 21 August 1958) is an English actress, director, singer, and songwriter. She scored a top ten single on the UK Official Charts with "More Than in Love", while she was appearing in the television soap opera Crossroads (1980–1981). She also represented the UK in the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest as a member of the group Prima Donna; they finished third, singing "Love Enough for Two". Robbins went on to become a prolific voice comedy actress, most notably for ten years with the satirical show Spitting Image (1986–1996).

Early life Robbins is the elder sister of fellow actress Amy Robbins, sculptor Jane Robbins,

Robbins is a first cousin once removed of Paul McCartney, as her mother Elizabeth "Bett" Robbins (née Danher) was McCartney's cousin. In 1960, McCartney and John Lennon performed as "The Nerk Twins" at the Fox and Hounds pub in Caversham, Reading, which was run by Robbins' parents Bett and Mike.

Robbins grew up on the Wirral Peninsula, where she attended Wirral Grammar School for Girls.

Career

Singing Robbins' first released recording, in 1978, was the song "Tomorrow", from the musical Annie. Robbins' first chart appearance was as a backing singer, along with her sister Jane, on the minor Top 40 hit "Lines" by Liverpool group Planets, a spin-off from Deaf School. In 1980 she and Jane represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest as part of the group Prima Donna; they finished third singing the UK entry "Love Enough for Two".

The following year, Robbins joined the cast of the ITV soap opera Crossroads,

Robbins also sung the vocals to the credits of the final episode of The Young Ones.

Robbins wrote the first theme tune to Surprise, Surprise performed by Cilla Black. She sang the lead vocals on "The Chicken Song" with Michael Fenton Stevens, which reached number 1 in 1986.

In December 2010, Robbins released her third album, Soho Nights. She co-wrote the easy listening album We're Just Passing Through, with broadcaster and journalist Nicky Campbell, which was released in 2014.

She played Cilla Black in Harry Enfield's Television Programme (1992), and voiced Princess Anne in Drop the Dead Donkey in 1993.

Robbins was named "Best Supporting Actress" at the Angel Awards of the Monaco International Film Festival in 2006, for her role as Kathleen in the low-budget British film Fated (2005). She played Joan in Sex Lives of the Potato Men (2004).

Radio During the 1990s, Robbins performed a number of different roles as both an impersonator and a singer in the BBC Radio 4 satirical comedy series A Look Back at the Nineties and its sequel A Look Back at the Future. 1981 "More Than in Love (RCA) UK No. 2 1981 "I Want You Back" (RCA) 1981 "Run Wild" (RCA) 1983 "The Real Me" (RCA) 1983 "That First Love" 1986 "The Chicken Song" (Lead female vocal) 1988 "If You Wanna Help Somebody"

Albums 1981 Kate Robbins (RCA) 2008 Songs from the Pool 2010 Soho Nights 2014 We're Just Passing Through (Long Lunch Music)