Velile Tshabalala

Velile Tshabalala
Velile Tshabalala at the Doctor Who 50th anniversary celebration on 22 November 2013
Born
Whitechapel, London, England
OccupationActress
Years active2003–present

Velile Tshabalala is an English actress, known for portraying Kareesha Lopez[broken anchor] in Kerching! and Rosita in the 2008 Doctor Who special "The Next Doctor".

Background

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Born in Whitechapel, London, Tshabalala was raised in Ilford.[1] She is of Zimbabwean descent.[2] Her father is a mechanical engineer and her mother is a health visitor.[2] She has one sister and two brothers.[3] She trained at the Sylvia Young Theatre School,[1] where she attended weekend classes from the age of 14.[2] For higher education, she attended sixth form and completed her A-levels.

Career

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Tshabalala made her professional debut at the age of 18, in the CBBC sitcom Kerching!.[4] She played waitress Kareesha Lopez, who did very little work and was a stereotypical teenage girl. She played several roles in all three series of the BBC Three sketch comedy Tittybangbang. She appeared as a prostitute in the 2004 short film Streets. In January 2008, she played a librarian in the ChuckleVision episode "Jumping Jackpot". She played Rosita in that year's Doctor Who Christmas special "The Next Doctor".[5] She made her pantomime debut in the 2008 production of Dick Whittington's Cat at the Compass Theatre in Ickenham.[6] In 2011, Tshabalala very briefly appeared in the penultimate episode of series three of the E4 series Misfits as the gangs' newest probation worker, Laura. However, she only lasted for a matter of seconds after arriving at the community centre, ultimately being killed after being bitten by a zombie. In July 2014, she completed filming on the feature film The Journey.[7] In November 2021, it was announced that Tshabalala had been cast in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks as Viv, the mother of established character DeMarcus Westwood (Tomi Ade).[8] In February 2022, she starred as Gloria in Running with Lions at the Lyric Theatre, London.[9] In 2024, Tshabalala began appearing as recurring character Stella Clayton in Eastenders.[10]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
2003–2006 Kerching! Kareesha Lopez[broken anchor]
2004 Streets Prostitute Film
2006 Tittybangbang Various characters
2008 ChuckleVision Librarian Episode: "Jumping Jackpot"
2008 Katy Brand's Big Ass Show Various characters
2008 Doctor Who Rosita Episode: "The Next Doctor"
2009 The Legend of Dick and Dom Cheryl 1 episode
2011 Misfits Laura 1 episode
2012 The Secret of Crickley Hall Teacher 1 episode
2013 Call the Midwife Monique Hyde 1 episode
2016–2017 Class Dismissed Various 12 episodes
2021 Hollyoaks Viv 3 episodes
2023 Death in Paradise Barbara Carter Episode: "An Unpleasant Homecoming"
2023 Casualty Caroline Pickard Episode: "The Straw"
2024 EastEnders Stella Clayton 8 episodes

References

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  1. ^ a b "Former toilet cleaner Velile Tshabalala on landing starring role in this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special". Daily Mirror. 23 December 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  2. ^ a b c Collins, Robert (16 December 2008). "Doctor Who: Velile Tshabalala". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  3. ^ Martin, Will (26 November 2008). "Velile Tshabalala (Doctor Who) Interview". LastBroadcast.co.uk. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  4. ^ Hewitt, Phil (24 September 2008). "Who's that girl? New assistant for the Doctor lands in West Sussex". West Sussex Gazette. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  5. ^ Wilkes, Neil (17 December 2008). "Velile Tshabalala ('Doctor Who')". Digital Spy. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  6. ^ Coombs, Dan (16 December 2008). "Who's that girl?". Uxbridge Gazette. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  7. ^ thejourneythemovie.com
  8. ^ Anderton, Joe (2 November 2021). "Hollyoaks to bring in DeMarcus Westwood's mother as his future comes under threat". Digital Spy. (Hearst Magazines UK). Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  9. ^ "Running With Lions". Lyric Hammersmith. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  10. ^ Wheeler, Olivia (4 April 2024). "EastEnders Stella star's career from Death In Paradise to Doctors". The Mirror. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
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