McDonald & Dodds returns for another rather bonkers feature length film this weekend, but who plays Deborah Winwick?
Natalie Gumede guest stars in the ITV1 detective drama, and you’ll recognise her from Strictly Come Dancing, Coronation Street and Titans.
Here’s everything you need to know about the McDonald & Dodds guest star Natalie Gumede.
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Who plays Deborah in McDonald & Dodds?
Natalie Gumede portrays Deborah Winwick in McDonald & Dodds series two, episode two, called ‘We Need to Talk About Doreen’.
She explains: “It’s about the collision of two worlds. We have these girls on a hen weekend in Bath, who end up colliding with the sporting world when they meet some rugby players at a club.
“My character Deborah is a sports agent, and she is the agent to one of the rugby players, Dominique, who ends up being murdered.
“She is pretty ruthless, but she makes a great agent because she cares a lot for her clients’ bank balances, as well as her own.
“If she sees an opportunity, she will take it.”
Natalie’s character is shown to have an interesting relationship with Jimmy, played by John Thomson, who is the chairman of the rugby club.
She describes working with him as “meeting a legend”.
Who plays Deborah in McDonald & Dodds: What else has Natalie starred in?
Natalie is probably still best known for playing Kirsty Soames in the ITV soap Coronation Street.
She’s been acting on TV since 2004, and previously played China in BBC Three comedy show Ideal.
She’s also appeared as Tania Coles in Emmerdale, Susie in The Persuasionists and Ashley in Doctor Who.
The actress came runner-up in the 2013 series of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One.
In 2015, Natalie starred as Bella/Isabella Charming in Jekyll & Hyde opposite Behind Her Eyes‘ Tom Bateman.
From 2017 to 2018, Natalie appeared in Netflix original Free Rein as Maggie Steel Phillips.
More recently, she appeared as Cormoran’s girlfriend Lorelei Bevan in Strike, Emma in Rig 45, and Mercy Graves in Titans.
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Who did Natalie play in Corrie? Will she return as Kirsty?
Natalie Gumede played Kirsty Soames in Coronation Street from 2011 to 2013.
Kirsty was the abusive ex-fiancée of Tyrone Dobbs and mother of Ruby Dobbs, who is currently languishing in jail.
She prepared for her character’s birth scenes by watching One Born Every Minute in between filming!
Asked about her soap role in the lead up to her appearance on McDonald & Dodds, she talks about the recognition that came with the part.
She said: “Well this is my first job with my short hair.
“I used to be a big haired kind of gal, so I look very different.
“Kirsty was a long time ago now, but when you are in a show as popular as Coronation Street, it never fully goes away.
“That is one of my legacies, and I know as long as I am acting, that role will always come up!
“It’s no bad thing, but I think the daily recognition is not with me anymore.
“That is a nice place to be as a jobbing actor who can morph into different people without being too closely connected to one character.
“Would I go back to Corrie if they decided to bring Kirsty out of prison? I think my time there was wonderful, but complete.”
How old is Natalie, who plays Deborah in McDonald & Dodds?
Natalie Gumede was born on March 20 1984.
She is currently 36 years old.
Where is she from?
Natalie was born in in Burnley, Lancashire.
Her father is Zimbabwean and her mother is of English descent.
She lived in Colne during her early life, and later attended the London Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.
Is Natalie married? Does she have kids?
Natalie is not married and doesn’t have kids.
She keeps her personal life private, and has not shared any loved-up snaps on social media.
She is believed to be single at the moment.
McDonald & Dodds series two, episode two
A birthday weekend away goes devastatingly wrong when Angela and four of her friends travel down from Glasgow to celebrate in Bath.
They meet a rugby player during the course of the night, but he turns up dead the next day in mysterious circumstances.
The partygoers all become suspects as McDonald and Dodds investigate what appears to be a case of murder.
Jason Watkins and Tala Gouveia star, with guest appearances by Sharon Rooney, John Thomson, Natalie Gumede and Shelley Conn.
McDonald & Dodds series two, episode two, airs on Sunday March 07 2021 at 8pm on ITV1.
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