Ayesha Antoine
Ayesha Antoine is an English actress. She is known for portraying Rachel Baptiste in "Holby City", and Poppy Silver in "Grange Hill". Background. Antoine was born in Essex, England. She is of British, Dominican, and Welsh descent. In 1998 Antoine studied Psychology and English at the University of Manchester. After graduating, she returned to London to restart her career. She said: A hyperactive child (learning the violin and piano as well as attending acting and dance classes), at the age of eight she entered a National Talent Contest which was televised on the Saturday morning BBC children's  show, "Going Live!". Dancing, singing and rapping to Salt'n'Pepa's 'Express Yourself' was Antoine's first television appearance. Career. Television. Antoine began her television career in the 1990s playing Poppy Silver in "Grange Hill". At this time she also made her first appearance in "Holby City". Other television credits include the role of Kelly Grogan in sitcom pilot "Placebo" and a husband-beating shoplifter in "The Bill". In 2007, Antoine guest starred as Dee Dee Blasco in the "Doctor Who" episode "Midnight", an experience she described as: "so much fun…it’s a brilliant show and I loved every minute ." She joined the regular cast of "Holby City" in 2008, playing Staff Nurse Rachel Baptiste. In 2009, Antoine appeared in BAFTA winner Paul Whitehouse's new series "Down The Line". Radio. In 2005, Antoine won the Norman Beaton Fellowship. She was a member of the BBC Radio Drama Company for six months and lent her voice to over twenty five radio dramas including "The Lysistrata Project", "Hold My Breath", "Westway", "No.1 Ladies Detective Agency", "The Fountain Overflows" and "Father & Son". Other. In 2011, she joined the cast of Big Finish Productions' Bernice Summerfield audio plays as Ruth. In 2013, she  was the featured presenter for Dr. Forever!, a five-part documentary series featured in the Classic Doctor Who DVD range.