# Kay Purcell

Kay Purcell (6 December 1963 – 23 December 2020) was an English actress. She was best known for portraying the roles of Cynthia Daggert in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale (2001–2002), Candice Smilie in the BBC school-based drama series Waterloo Road (2007–2009), and Gina Conway in the CBBC drama series Tracy Beaker Returns (2010–2012) and its spin-off series The Dumping Ground (2013). From 2015 to 2017, she appeared as Mrs. Rennison in the CBBC sitcom So Awkward.

## Career

Purcell's first acting role was as a TV reporter in the TV series Cracker in 1995. She then later starred in Coronation Street as Rhona Summers for 3 episodes in 1997. She appeared as Jenny in the TV series City Central. In 1998 and 2000, she starred in the BBC One series Casualty. In 1998 she played WDC McCarthy, and in 2000 played Diane Abley. Later in 2000, she starred in the TV series Children's Ward as Winsome. Her first major role was as Cynthia Daggert in ITV's Emmerdale. She starred in 188 episodes from 2001 to 2002. Her next major role was in Bernard's Watch from 2004 to 2005, as Ms. Savage for 21 episodes. Purcell played a supporting role in BBC's Waterloo Road as Bolton Smilie's mum Candice Smilie from 2007 to 2009. She played the role of Gina Conway in Tracy Beaker Returns for three series, as well as the first series of the spin-off series The Dumping Ground.

## Illness and death

In early 2017, Purcell was diagnosed with breast cancer. Purcell posted images, videos and blogs on social media to show her own experience of the disease. In early 2020, Purcell was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer and was given a life expectancy of two years. She died from metastatic breast cancer which had spread to her liver on 23 December 2020, aged 57.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1995 | Cracker | TV Reporter | Episode: "True Romance: Part 2" |
| 1996–1998 | Emmerdale | Carmel Morgan | Recurring role; 9 episodes |
| 1997 | Coronation Street | Rhona Summers | 3 episodes |
| 1998 | Casualty | WDC McCarthy | Episode: "Taking Sides" |
| 1999 | City Central | Jenny | Episode: "Paradise Lost" |
| 1999 | My Parents Are Aliens | Mrs. Williams | Episode: "The Home Team" |
| 2000 | Casualty | Diane Abley | Episode: "Fall Out" |
| 2000 | Children's Ward | Winsome | Series 12: Episode 8 |
| 2001–2002 | Emmerdale | Cynthia Daggert | Regular role; 188 episodes |
| 2003 | Holby City | Heather Nixon | Episode: "Read My Lips" |
| 2004–2005 | Bernard's Watch | Ms. Savage | Main role; 21 episodes |
| 2004 | Sex Lives of the Potato Men | Gloria | Film |
| 2005 | Messiah | Prof Uhomi | Episodes: "The Harrowing: Parts 1–3" |
| 2005 | Doctors | Mrs. Jane Manners | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Ideal | Alice | Episode: "The Delivery" |
| 2006 | My Parents Are Aliens | Mrs. Brookman | 3 episodes |
| 2007–2009 | Waterloo Road | Candice Smilie | Main role; 24 episodes |
| 2010–2012 | Tracy Beaker Returns | Gina Conway | All 39 episodes |
| 2011–2012 | Tracy Beaker Survival Files | Gina Conway | Main role |
| 2012 | Hacker Time | Herself | Episode: "Connor Byrne and Kay Purcell" |
| 2013 | The Dumping Ground | Gina Conway | Main role; 13 episodes |
| 2014–2016 | Hacker Time | Mrs. Breadbin | 13 episodes |
| 2015–2017 | So Awkward | Mrs. Rennison | Main role; 25 episodes |
| 2016 | Sunny D | Barbara | Episode: "D Is for Declarations" |
| 2020 | When It Rains | Sonia | 5 episodes |
| 2021 | Doctors | Mo Larkin | Episode: "Of Mice and Women"; posthumous release |

## Theatre

* The Winter's Tale (1993, as Paulina, Dorcas)
* Everybody Knows All Birds Have Wings (1997)
* Hormonal Housewives (2012)
* Rapunzel (2013, as Gothel the Enchantress)
* Sleeping Beauty (2014, as Carabosse)