Laurie Brett

Laurie Brett (born 28 March 1969) and studied at the London Studio Centre. She is fluent in Spanish. Brett has admitted to being a "wild child" in her youth and drinking heavily for 20 years.

Brett speaks with a Scottish accent; however, on moving to London, she adopted a London accent – fitting for her EastEnders role. and has admitted that prior to appearing in Waterloo Road speaking with a Scottish accent became very handy when people would ask if she was Jane from EastEnders. She has admitted that when asked that question she would then reply in her native Scottish accent and people then assumed they were mistaken.

Brett was in a relationship with musician Dave Evans for six years. The couple met on a blind date in 2001 and later got engaged; however, the relationship ended in 2007. Brett revealed in January 2011 that she was pregnant with her first child.

Career Young Brett enjoyed drama in her youth, but she needed an Equity card to be a paid professional actress in the UK, and returned permanently later in November. Brett departed EastEnders again in 2017; her final episode aired on 23 October 2017. Brett reprised the role for a short stint seven years later, with Jane making an unannounced return on 15 July 2024.

On 15 March 2012, it was announced Brett would be joining the BBC's ongoing drama Waterloo Road as Christine Mulgrew, a new English teacher hired by headmaster Michael Byrne (Alec Newman). For the first time in Brett's career, she spoke in her native accent as the show had relocated to Scotland. Brett's character then took over as acting headteacher at the end of the eighth series and was appointed as permanent headteacher at the beginning of series 9. Brett continued to appear in Waterloo Road in the second half of series 9, despite her return to EastEnders. Brett confirmed via Twitter that she will continue filming on Waterloo Road in late spring 2014 and stayed in the role until the show ended.

On 24 December 2018, Brett took part in a one-off celebrity special of All Together Now, and was crowned winner after receiving a score of 92. In January 2020, Brett starred as DC Gemma Darlington in the C4 crime drama Deadwater Fell. Then in 2022, she joined the cast of the BBC drama series Shetland.

Filmography