# Kate Robbins

Kate Elizabeth Robbins (born 21 August 1958) is an English actress, singer, and songwriter. She came to prominence in the early 1980s when she scored a top ten single on the UK Official Charts with "More Than in Love", while she was appearing in the television soap opera Crossroads. She went on to become a prolific voice actress, most notably for nine years with the satirical show Spitting Image.

## Early life

Robbins is the older sister of fellow actress Amy Robbins, sculptor Jane Robbins, and The Sheilas singer Emma Robbins. Her older brother is radio broadcaster and actor Ted Robbins. Through her sister Emma she was the sister-in-law of Simon Shelton and through her sister Amy she is the sister-in-law of actor Robert Daws.
Her father was Mike Robbins, who grew up in Hightown, Wrexham, the son of Ted, who served as the secretary of the Football Association of Wales for more than 35 years.
She attended Wirral Grammar School for Girls in Bebington, Cheshire.
Robbins is a first cousin once removed of Paul McCartney as her mother Elizabeth "Bett" Robbins (née Danher) was McCartney's cousin. In 1960, McCartney and John Lennon performed as "The Nerk Twins" at the Fox and Hounds pub in Caversham, Reading, which was run by Bett and her husband Mike.

## Career

Robbins' first released recording, in 1978, was the song Tomorrow, from the musical Annie. Robbins' first chart appearance was as a backing singer, along with her sister Jane, on the minor Top 40 hit "Lines" by Liverpool group Planets, a spin-off from Deaf School.
Her profile was raised soon afterwards when both she and Jane represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1980 as part of the group Prima Donna. They finished third.
The following year, Robbins joined the cast of the ITV soap opera Crossroads, playing the part of a pop singer who was recording a single in the fictional motel's basement recording studio. The song, "More Than in Love", was released commercially in the UK, credited as Kate Robbins and Beyond and gave Robbins a major hit single, reaching number 2 in the UK Singles Chart. It was her only lead-vocal hit.
In late 1982, Robbins provided backing vocals on the Top 3 single Story of the Blues by Wah!.
Robbins wrote the first theme tune to Surprise, Surprise performed by Cilla Black.
She provided almost all the female voices on the television show Spitting Image in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She sang the lead vocals on "The Chicken Song" with Michael Fenton Stevens which reached number 1 in 1986.
The 1986 Granada Television sketch show Robbins featured Kate, her brother Ted Robbins, and her sisters Amy Robbins, Jane Robbins and Emma Robbins.
She participated in the 1989 Children's Royal Variety Performance BBC, singing her own comic songs at the piano, and featured in the original series of Dead Ringers on BBC Radio 4 in 2000.
In 1995, Robbins provided all of the voices, including the male ones, in the children's television series The Caribou Kitchen.
During the 1990s, Robbins performed a number of different roles as both an impersonator and a singer in the BBC Radio 4 satirical comedy series A Look Back at the Nineties and its sequel series A Look Back at the Future.
Robbins also provided the English language dubbing for Europeans, featured on the Channel 4 series Eurotrash and, in 2006, made two appearances on the BBC Radio 4 programme Just a Minute.
In 2007, Robbins was awarded an Honorary Bachelor of Arts degree from Bedfordshire University, for her lifetime contribution to the Performing Arts.
In December 2010, Robbins released her third album, a jazz based affair, entitled Soho Nights, which was written as a collaboration with the Italian saxophonist Alessandro Tomei, and recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.
Robbins also co-wrote the easy listening album We're Just Passing Through with broadcaster and journalist Nicky Campbell, which was released in 2014.
Robbins was one of the Grumpy Old Women tour in 2014 with comedian Jenny Eclair and actress Susie Blake which toured again in 2015.

## Film and television work

Robbins has acted in many feature films.
She was named Best Supporting Actress at the Angel Awards of the Monaco International Film Festival, for her role as Kathleen in the low-budget British film, Fated.
In 2005, she played Joan in Sex Lives of the Potato Men.
The following year she appeared with James Franco and Jean Reno in the film Flyboys, playing the role of Clarisse, a brothel Madame.
In the comedy Lunchbox she starred as man-hungry teacher, Suzanne.
She also starred in Farrena Films' comedy-thriller short movie The Other Side with Valerie Hope.
Robbins appeared in two series of the comedy series Dinnerladies, playing the character Babs, a friend of Petula Gordeno, played by Julie Walters, BBC.
Robbins later appeared with the sitcom's writer Victoria Wood in the Christmas special Victoria Wood with All the Trimmings and Victoria Wood's Big Fat Documentary.
Alongside daughter Emily Atack, Robbins appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox and is a regular contributor on Steph's Packed Lunch for Channel 4.
Robbins has worked on many comedy and drama TV shows on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Netflix, and can also be heard as a voice-over artist on many commercials.
She was the Edith Piaf soundalike on a lager advert. She was the 'Doris Day' voice in a Waitrose commercial. Her singing can be heard on television advertisements for Clover, Debenhams, First Choice Holidays and many more. She also recorded the Capital Radio jingle package for Sue Manning Productions.
She also played Singing Ring in the mini-series The 10th Kingdom, which aired in 2000.

## Personal life

Robbins divorced musician Keith Atack in 2007 after 19 years of marriage. The couple had three children: actress Emily Atack (born 1989); Martha Atack (born 1991), a Talent Director; and George Atack (born 1992), a musician and TV researcher.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1990 | Bullseye! | The Queen (voice) | |
| 1995 | The Band Parts | Blossom | Short films |
| 2000 | Ogri | Mitzi (voice) | Short films |
| 2003 | 16 Years of Alcohol | Fighting Couple Woman | |
| 2004 | Sex Lives of the Potato Men | Joan | |
| 2004 | Boo, Zino & the Snurks | Female Gayan / Valerie (voice) | English version |
| 2005 | MirrorMask | Female Giant / Mrs. Shoe-Thing / Chicken | |
| 2006 | Flyboys | Clarise | |
| 2006 | Fated | Kathleen | |
| 2017 | The Legend of Kung Funk | Natalie | Short films |
| 2018 | The Other Side with Valerie Hope | Valerie Hope | Short films |
| 2022 | Road Trip | Mother | Short films |
| 2022 | A Last Resort | Rose | Short films |
| 2024 | Clown | Taxi Woman | Short films |
| 2024 | Restless | Jackie | |
| 2025 | Egg Timer | Egg 2 / Sandra | Short film. Completed but not yet released |
| TBA | Dead on the Vine | Eva | Completed but not yet released |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1980–1981 | Crossroads: Kings Oak | Kate Loring | 11 episodes |
| 1982 | Mike Yarwood in Persons | Impressionist (various) | 1 episode |
| 1986 | Saturday Live | Cilla Black, Sarah Ferguson | Recurring roles (3 episodes) |
| 1986–1996 | Spitting Image | Various (voice) | Regular roles (Series 3–18; 93 episodes) |
| 1987 | Spitting Image: The Ronnie and Nancy Show | Nancy Reagan (voice) | Television film |
| 1987 | Kate and Ted’s Show | Various characters | Regular roles (7 episodes) |
| 1988 | The Kate Robbins Show | Various characters | Regular roles (6 episodes) |
| 1989–1990 | Round the Bend! | Jemimah Wellington-Green / Various (voice) | Regular roles (Series 1–3; 18 episodes) |
| 1989–1991 | The Staggering Stories of Ferdinand de Bargos | Various (voice) | Series 1–3; 11 episodes |
| 1990 | Wicked Willie | Voice role | Television film |
| 1991 | Wicked Willie Rides Again! | Voice role | Video film |
| 1992 | Fiddley Foodle Bird | Voice role | 13 episodes |
| 1992 | Pallas | Voice role | Series 2; episode 3: "Pallas 2" |
| 1992 | Red Dwarf | Woman in Film (voice) | Series 5; episode 1: "Holoship" (uncredited role) |
| 1992 | Harry Enfield's Television Programme | Cilla Black | Series 2; episode 3 |
| 1992 | Sean's Show | Cilla Black | Series 1; episode 6: "Blind Date" |
| 1992 | My Little Pony Tales | Additional voices | Episode 15: "Princess Problems" |
| 1993 | Comedy Playhouse | Bella White | Episode 5: "Once in a Lifetime" |
| 1993 | The Comic Strip Presents... | Nurse Larkin | Series 7; episode 4: "Gregory: Diary of a Nutcase" |
| 1993 | Dizzy Heights | Madame Visniskaye | Series 4; episode 1: "A Star Is Bored" |
| 1993 | KYTV | Truddles | Series 3; episode 2: "Those Sexciting '60s" |
| 1993 | Thatcherworld | Voice role | Television film |
| 1993 | Last of the Summer Wine | Gypsy Girl | Series 15; episode 8: "There Are Gypsies at the Bottom of Our Garden" |
| 1993 | Drop the Dead Donkey | Princess Anne (voice) | Series 3, episode 11: "Awards" |
| 1993–2001 | Numbertime | Mama (voice) | Regular role (Series 1–9; 68 episodes) |
| 1995–1997 | The Caribou Kitchen | Narrator / All character voices | Regular role (Series 1–4; 52 episodes) |
| 1996 | Jack and Jeremy's Real Lives | Pam Ayres (voice) | Episode 2: "Writers" |
| 1996 | Drop the Dead Donkey | Sarah, Duchess of York (voice) | Series 5, episode 6: "George's Car" |
| 1996 | The Willows in Winter | Voice role | Television film |
| 1996 | Bamboo Bears | Voice role | Episode 31: "Smalltooth Sawfish" |
| 1996 | Bimble’s Bucket | Voice role | Series 1; episode 1: "The Beginning" |
| 1997 | Alas Smith & Jones | Various roles | Series 9; episode 4: "Hookers." |
| 1997 | Animal Madness | Various roles | Television film |
| 1998 | Archibald the Koala | Voice role | Episode 1: "The Dragon" |
| 1998 | The National Lottery Big Ticket | Bernie (voice) | Regular role (16 episodes) |
| 1998 | You Are Here | Rita Cohen | Television film |
| 1998–1999 | Dinnerladies | Babs | Series 1; episode 5: "Party" and series 2; episode 3: "Holidays" |
| 1999 | Mimi and Mr. Bobo | Voice role | 1 episode |
| 1999–2000 | The Big Knights | Sorceress Abigail / Aunt Iris (voices) | Regular roles (13 episodes) |
| 2000 | The 10th Kingdom | Singing Ring (voice) | Recurring roles (2 episodes) |
| 2000 | Where the Heart Is | Angela Taylor | Series 4, episode 9: "A Good Day" |
| 2001 | Where the Heart Is | Beverley Garton | Series 5, episode 11: "Temptation" |
| 2001–2003 | El Nombre | Mama (voice) | Regular role (Series 1 & 2; 26 episodes) |
| 2002 | Phoenix Nights | Ladies Night Organiser | Series 2; episode 5: "Ladies' Night" |
| 2002 | Holby City | Leslie Harris | Series 4, episode 42: "Design for Living" |
| 2003–2005 | Monkey Dust | Various characters | Series 1–3; 18 episodes |
| 2004 | The Impressionable Jon Culshaw | Various characters | 4 episodes |
| 2004 | Doctors | Sheila Lovatt | Series 6, episode 46: "Wild, Wild West Midlands" |
| 2006 | Heartbeat | Sheryl Cooper | Series 15; episode 21: "Wine and Roses" |
| 2007 | Touch Me, I'm Karen Taylor | Prime Minister’s Aide | Recurring role (Series 1; 4 episodes) |
| 2008 | Doctors | Marylin Harvey | Series 10, episode 19: "The Hex" |
| 2008 | Ruddy Hell! It's Harry and Paul | Various roles | Series 2; episode 5 |
| 2009 | Casualty | Jackie | Series 23; episode 43: "Not Over 'Til the Fat Lady Sings" |
| 2009 | The Legend of Dick and Dom | Baroness Clap | Series 1, episode 6: "Hairwolf" |
| 2010 | The Legend of Dick and Dom | Dana | Series 2, episode 9: "Haunted" |
| 2011 | In with the Flynns | Jackie | Series 1; episode 5: "Guitar" |
| 2011 | The Slammer | Blue Fairy | Series 4; episode 10: "Angry Puppet" |
| 2012 | Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom | Miss Jolly (voice) | Series 2; episodes 19 & 33: "Mrs. Witch's Spring Clean" and "The Dwarf Mine" |
| 2014 | Citizen Khan | Nail Bar Technician | Series 3; episode 5: "Stags and Hens" |
| 2017 | Holby City | Stella Clark | Series 19, episode 16: "Daylight" |
| 2017 | Haters Back Off! | Nurse #2 | Series 2; episode 4: "Modelling at the Hospital" |
| 2019 | Hold the Sunset | Mrs. Brown | Series 2; episode 1: "The Sale" |
| 2020–2022 | The Emily Atack Show | Various characters | Series 1–3; 4 episodes |
| 2021 | EastEnders | Jen Glover | Recurring role (5 episodes) |
| 2022 | Mandy | Joan MacDonald | Series 2; episode 3: "Holiday for One" |
| 2022 | After Life | Penny Spencer-Wright | Recurring role (Series 3; 3 episodes) |
| 2022 | The Walk-In | Robbie's Mum | Episode 1 |
| 2022 | It's What She Would Have Wanted | Annie's Mum | Television film |
| 2022 | Midsomer Murders | Lyra Kaine | Series 23; episode 1: "The Blacktrees Prophecy" |
| 2023 | Silent Witness | Bev | Series 26; episode 4: "Familiar Faces - Part 2" |
| 2023 | The Couple Next Door | Jean | Series 1; 6 episodes |
| 2023 | The Good Ship Murder | Vida Devine | Episode 8: "Malta" |
| 2023–present | Unforgotten | Kate | Series 5 & 6; 9 episodes |
| 2024 | Death in Paradise | Lucky Clayborn | Series 13, episode 3 |
| 2024 | Doctors | Barbara Hill | Series 24, episode 200: "Dead Woman Talking" |
| 2024 | Whitstable Pearl | Janet | Series 3; episode 4: "Prisoners of the Past" |

## Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2008 | Songs from the Pool | Various | Gilded Balloon (Edinburgh Fringe) |
| 2014 | Grumpy Old Women | Grumpy Old Woman | UK Tour |
| 2015 | Grumpy Old Women | Grumpy Old Woman | UK Tour |
| 2019 | Club Tropicana | Consuela | UK Tour |

## Radio

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2000 | Dead Ringers | Various | 2 episodes (BBC Radio 4) |

## Voices

* 1993 The Beano Video - Neighbour's Wife
* 1994 The Beano VideoStars - Various characters
* 1995 Discworld (Video game) - Various characters
* 1996 Discworld II: Missing Presumed...!? (Video game) - Various characters
* 1999 Discworld Noir (Video game) - Various characters

## UK discography
### Singles

* 1978 "Tomorrow" (Anchor)
* 1980 "Love Enough for Two" (Ariola) (with Prima Donna) UK No. 48
* 1980 "Just Got to be You" (Ariola) (with Prima Donna)
* 1981 "More Than in Love (RCA) UK No. 2
* 1981 "I Want You Back" (RCA)
* 1981 "Run Wild" (RCA)
* 1983 "The Real Me" (RCA)
* 1983 "That First Love"
* 1986 "The Chicken Song" (Lead female vocal)
* 1988 "If You Wanna Help Somebody"

### Albums

* 1981 Kate Robbins (RCA)
* 2008 Songs from the Pool
* 2010 Soho Nights
* 2014 We're Just Passing Through (Long Lunch Music)