Amy Shindler is a British actress and television writer best known for her portrayal of Brenda Tucker in the UK's long running soap opera, The Archers. She joined the programme shortly after leaving drama school and played Brenda Tucker until her departure from Ambridge in 2014,[1][2] returning for a short stint in 2024 to help sell the house that her brother, Roy, owned. Brenda was notable in the show for her struggles with her boss, Matt Crawford, her long engagement to Tom Archer and her decision not to have children in order to devote herself to her career.[3] Shindler also appeared in the feature film A Mighty Heart playing Michelle Pearl, and played Charlotte Fox in the feature film Everest.[4]
Shindler's television writing career began on the hit BBC1 comedy, My Family. Since then she has had her own sitcom series Pat and Cabbage on ITV1 with sometime writing partner, Beth Chalmers, and has written on comedies such as Threesome, Trollied and Horrible Histories.[5] She and Chalmers are the creators, writers and executive producers of three series of the New Zealand based drama, Mystic, broadcast on CBBC in 2021 and 2022. The series has sold in over 40 countries worldwide and won awards for Best Children's Programme at the Asian Academy Creative Awards in 2022; and Best Children's Programme at the NZTV awards in 2023 .[6][7][8]
Shindler is also an author and playwright. In 2012 she was invited on BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends to discuss an erotic spoof book, Fifty Shelves of Grey, which she co-authored with three other writers under the pseudonym, ‘Vanessa Parody’.[9]
In September 2016 her first play, Burning Bridges, was premiered at Theatre 503.[10] The play drew the attention of the press for its timely exploration of a young woman with Asperger syndrome[11][12] and was nominated for three Offie Awards including Best Play.[13]
Shindler grew up in North London and then studied history at the University of Cambridge.[14] She is the daughter of the author and historian, Colin Shindler[15] and cousin of the television producer, Nicola Shindler.
References
edit- ^ "BBC Radio 4 - The Archers - Brenda Tucker". BBC. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
- ^ Banks-Smith, Nancy (17 September 2014). "Radio review: A month in Ambridge". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- ^ Courage, Cara; Headlam, Nicola (5 April 2019). Gender, Sex and Gossip in Ambridge: Women in The Archers. Emerald Group Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78769-945-8.
- ^ "Amy Shindler - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- ^ "Amy Shindler". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- ^ "BBC - British actors join New Zealand cast for major new family thriller Mystic - coming to CBBC - Media Centre". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
- ^ "Mystic wins Asian Academy Creative Award for New Zealand Region". LIBERTINE PICTURES. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ "Mystic". Slim Film Television. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ "BBC Radio 4 - Loose Ends, Seth MacFarlane, Delilah, Nikki Bedi, Dom Joly, Adil Ray and Amy Shindler". BBC. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
- ^ "Nick Hern Books | Burning Bridges, By Amy Shindler". Nick Hern Books. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
- ^ "Amy Shindler: Why my play is about a woman with Asperger's | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. 15 September 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
- ^ "Burning Bridges - Amy Shindler on BBC Breakfast news". YouTube.
- ^ "Offies". Twitter. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
- ^ "BBC Radio 4 - The Archers - Brenda Tucker". BBC. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
- ^ McCormack, Declan (18 September 1999). "Hanging on the edge of the cliff". Irish Independent.
External links
edit- Amy Shindler at IMDb
