Alexandra Louise Bastian (born 27 February 1982) is an English actress, known for her roles as Becca Dean in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, Sally Armstrong in the ITV drama series The Bill and Becky Clarke in the BBC soap opera Doctors. She has also competed in the seventh series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Ali Bastian
Bastian in 2019
Born
Alexandra Louise Bastian

(1982-02-27) 27 February 1982 (age 42)[1]
OccupationActress
Years active1992–present
Spouse
David O'Mahony
(m. 2019)
Children2

Career edit

Bastian was signed to Storm Models,[2] and has worked for Littlewoods within a new range called Drama Queens.[3] Bastian joined the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks in 2001 as Becca Dean. She was involved in a controversial storyline where her character was fired from her teaching job and sent to prison after having an affair with one of her students. In December 2005, alongside her Hollyoaks cast mates Jodi Albert and Sarah Jayne Dunn, she appeared in an exercise video, Hollyoaks Get Fit. At the 2006 British Soap Awards, Bastian and Chris Fountain won the award for Best Storyline. She departed from the series in 2007. Bastian then appeared on television in Cavegirl, A Touch of Frost, Twenty Four 7, and Here After.[4]

Bastian joined the long-running ITV police drama The Bill as PC Sally Armstrong in 2007,[5][6] and departed in late 2009.[7] In 2009, Bastian was a contestant on the seventh series of Strictly Come Dancing, departing in the semi-final, where she was partnered with Brian Fortuna. In week 11, she severely bruised the bones of her foot while training, but the medical team gave her the all clear to go ahead and perform.[8] Bastian and Fortuna finished in third place out of sixteen couples.[9] The pair danced again in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special in 2009 and won, having scored 40/40 for their Viennese waltz.[10]

In 2011, Bastian starred in the UK touring version of Bill Kenwright's production of Verdict by Agatha Christie, playing alter-ego Helen Rollander.[11] In late 2018, it was announced that Bastian had joined the cast of the BBC daytime soap opera Doctors as Becky Clarke.[12] Her first episode as Becky aired on 5 February 2019.[13] Bastian made an unannounced departure from Doctors in the episode broadcast on 6 November 2019 and confirmed after the episode had aired that she had left the series.[14]

Personal life edit

Bastian became engaged to musician Tom Clay in 2013.[15] In February 2019, she married actor and producer for Big Finish Productions, David O'Mahony.[16] In October 2019, she announced she was pregnant with their first child, and as a result, left the cast of Doctors.[14] Bastian explained that she had made the decision to leave Doctors to reduce her workload so that she could concentrate on getting pregnant in real life. She felt that her body "was crying out for a break" and said that her exit had helped her to conceive a baby.[17] On 17 March 2020, she announced the birth of their daughter.[18]

Filmography edit

Year Title Role Notes
1992 Jane Eyre Young Jane
1997 FairyTale: A True Story Lull (Fairy) Film
1998 Next Birthday Monica Short film
1999 A Touch of Frost Lisa Harper Episode: "Line of Fire: Part 1"
2001–2007 Hollyoaks Becca Dean Series regular
2001 Shades Lucy 1 episode
2002 Come Together Tara Television film
2007–2009 The Bill PC Sally Armstrong Series regular
2009 Strictly Come Dancing Herself Contestant; third place
2012 Sadie J Tru Episode : "Bridesmaidamundo"
2012 Strippers vs Werewolves Dani Film
2014 Jonathan Creek Juno Pirelli Episode : "The Letters Of Septimus Noone"
2014 Doctors Kara Meredith Episode : "Baby Chain"
2015 Death in Paradise Jenny Burgess Episode : "Until Death Do You Part"
2016 Undercover Hooligan DC Baker Film
2016 Doctors Julianna Isaac Episode: "Living Together"
2017 You Can Tutu Kat Film
2017 Who Is Alice Alice / Nina Film
2017 Holby City Chevonne Lumionne 2 episodes
2018 Hooligan Escape: The Russian Job Veronika Film
2019 Eve Suzy Film
2019 Doctors Becky Clarke Series regular

Stage edit

Year Title Venue Ref.
2010 Burn the Floor Shaftesbury Theatre [19]
2011 Verdict UK tour [20]
2012 Chicago UK tour [21]
2013 Breathless Soho Theatre [22]

References edit

  1. ^ @alibastian (27 February 2015). "So this is what I walked into this morning!!!!" (Tweet). Retrieved 23 January 2016 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ "Ali Bastian at Storm Models". Archived from the original on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  3. ^ Roberts, Joanne (6 January 2011). "Drama Queens at Littlewoods". Littlewoods Blog. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  4. ^ Ellis, Sarah (4 August 2020). ""Becca's storyline changed my life!" says former Hollyoaks star Ali Bastian". Inside Soap. (Hearst Communications). Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Ali Bastian joins the ranks of The Bill". ITV.com. 21 February 2007.
  6. ^ "'Hollyoaks' star Bastian joined 'The Bill'". digitalspy.co.uk. 17 February 2007.
  7. ^ "Exclusive: Sexy Ali Bastian quits cop show for ballroom blitz". Daily Record. 13 September 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
  8. ^ Nissim, Mayer (26 November 2009). "Ali Bastian 'suffers foot injury'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  9. ^ "Ali Bastian injured on 'Strictly'". tv.sky.com. Archived from the original on 27 November 2009.
  10. ^ McLennan, Patrick (26 December 2009). "Ali Bastian wins 'Strictly' Christmas special". What to Watch. (Future plc). Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  11. ^ "Agatha Christie's Verdict". Archived from the original on 9 January 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  12. ^ "Ali Bastian is new regular Becky Clarke in Doctors". What's On TV. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  13. ^ "Series 20 - Episode 57 The Little Black Dress". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  14. ^ a b @alibastian (6 November 2019). "My last ep of thebbcdoctors just went out! Had a great time and couldn't be more excited about the next chapter of my life 🤰🏼. Thank you to the cast & crew for giving me a lovely send off" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  15. ^ Martin, Lara (22 October 2013). "Ex-Hollyoaks star Ali Bastian engaged: see her gorgeous ring!". Reveal. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  16. ^ "Hollyoaks' Ali Bastian MARRIES boyfriend David O'Mahony and exclusively opens up about the 'magical' ceremony attended by co-stars". OK Magazine. 17 March 2019.
  17. ^ "Ali Bastian: Leaving Doctors helped me get pregnant". Female First. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  18. ^ "Former Strictly star Ali Bastian and her husband announce the birth of their baby girl". Good Housekeeping. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  19. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing: the hottest romances". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  20. ^ "Dawn Steele & Ali Bastian Tour Christie Verdict". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  21. ^ "Former Hollyoaks star Ali Bastian insists life is good as she takes to stage in Chicago". Daily Record. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  22. ^ "Ali Bastian". Baby Centre. Retrieved 30 January 2021.

External links edit