Patsy Kensit

In 1983, Kensit formed and became the lead singer of the pop band Eighth Wonder, which released the top-20 hits "I'm Not Scared" and "Cross My Heart" before disbanding in 1989. Kensit achieved further success in her breakthrough role as Suzette in the musical film Absolute Beginners (1986) and as Rika van den Haas in Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) before starring in the films Twenty-One (1991), Blame It on the Bellboy (1992), Angels & Insects (1995) and Grace of My Heart (1996), and has since starred in a number of both big-budget and independent films. Following a return to television, between 2004 and 2006, and again between 2026 and 2027, Kensit plays the role of Sadie King in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale and then that of Faye Morton in the BBC One medical drama Holby City from 2007 to 2010, and again for an episode in 2019. Throughout 2023, she played Emma Harding in EastEnders. Kensit has been married to musicians Dan Donovan, Jim Kerr, Liam Gallagher, and Jeremy Healy. Kensit's personal life, particularly her high profile marriages to Kerr and Gallagher, has drawn considerable tabloid press and media attention, notably through the Cool Britannia cultural period. Kensit was nominated for the Young Artist Award for Best Juvenile Actress in a Motion Picture for her role in Hanover Street (1979). In 1991, she was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead in Twenty-One (1991), and later had several nominations for her role in Emmerdale.

Patricia Jude Francis Kensit was born on 4 March 1968, at the General Lying-In Hospital, Lambeth, to James and Margaret Rose (née Doohan). Kensit's maternal grandparents hailed from County Leitrim, Ireland. She has an older brother, Jamie. Her mother was a secretary at Dior and former model, who had previously dated Aga Khan IV, while Kensit's father was a close associate of both the Kray Twins and the Richardson Gang, earning himself the nickname "Jimmy the Dip", and was involved in the Great Train Robbery. He served time in prison before Kensit was born and used a cover as an antiques dealer. Kensit's godfather was Reggie Kray. Her paternal grandfather was a robber and counterfeiter. Kensit recalled travelling to the Caribbean, Paris, and Marbella during her childhood with her father in attempts to evade capture by the police. When her father was jailed for a time in the late 1970s, Kensit and her brother were told to say that he was "working in South Africa". Kensit spent her childhood living on a council estate in Hounslow. She attended Newland House School, St Catherine's School, Twickenham, and then Corona Theatre School.

In 1972, at the age of four, Kensit appeared in a television advertisement for Birds Eye frozen peas. She also regularly appeared in newspaper advertisements modelling children's clothing. Kensit had her first big-screen role in the film For the Love of Ada. Her next film role was two years later in The Great Gatsby, with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, the latter of whom she portrayed in the 1995 biopic, Love and Betrayal: The Mia Farrow Story. Later in 1974, she played a missing child in an episode of Z-Cars, and had a small role in the thriller film Gold alongside Roger Moore and Susannah York. She then starred in Alfie Darling (1975) with Joan Collins, and Hennessy (1975) as the daughter of Rod Steiger's character. Following this, Kensit had a leading role in the 1976 Soviet-American co-production, The Blue Bird, and she struck up a friendship with actress and co-star Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor told the press about Kensit that "This little girl is going to be the biggest name in showbusiness". From 1977 to 1978, Kensit had a regular role in the drama series The Foundation, and in 1978 she appeared in five episodes of the Armchair Thriller serial Quiet as a Nun. She portrayed a young Oscar François de Jarjayes in the 1979 movie Lady Oscar, based on the Rose of Versailles by Riyoko Ikeda. In 1979, Kensit starred in the war-romance film Hanover Street, opposite Harrison Ford and Christopher Plummer. She was nominated for Young Artist Award for Best Juvenile Actress in a Motion Picture at the Young Artist Awards for her role in the film. By the early 1980s, Kensit had become a regular face on screen. She appeared in several television period dramas including The Legend of King Arthur, Prince Regent, and Penmarric, and in 1981, she starred as Estella in the BBC adaptation of Great Expectations. She then played the role of Lady Margaret Plantagenet in the 1982 BBC Television Shakespeare production of Richard III. In the same year, she starred as the title character in The Magical World of Disney television movie The Adventures of Pollyanna, and appeared in the music video for "Nobody's Fool" by Haircut One Hundred. In 1983, she starred as the leading character in the sci-fi TV series Luna.

By this time, Kensit had ventured into the Soho club scene with her older brother Jamie and socialised with stars such as George Michael, Sade, and Boy George; the thriving music scene and the exposure to the New Romantic era piqued Kensit's interest in music, and in 1983 she became a backing singer in Jamie's band Spice, which included Steve Grantley and Geoff Beauchamp. The band was later renamed Eighth Wonder and Kensit became the lead vocalist. Eighth Wonder began with moderate success and performed at various wine bars, pubs, and university venues, and Kensit began to also write songs for the band. Eighth Wonder's first single, "Stay with Me", was released in October 1985. Due to Kensit's involvement in the group, they achieved much publicity. Kensit pursued a dual career as a singer and an actress. In 1984, she played the title role in the drama series Diana and starred in the children's television play The Prattling Princess. In 1985, she starred in the film The Corsican Brothers. At this time she played the role of Eppie in an adaptation of Silas Marner, with Ben Kingsley. In 1986, she won the lead female role in the film version of Absolute Beginners, based on the book by Colin MacInnes, after Stephen Woolley, co-owner of Palace Films, and director Julien Temple watched her perform with Eighth Wonder at the Queen Elizabeth College in Kensington. The group also contributed a song to the film; although the it did not perform particularly well, the film and the promotion surrounding it brought both Kensit and the group much media attention. In November 1987, she sang a duet with the Italian singer and songwriter Eros Ramazzotti, entitled La luce buona delle stelle ("The Good Light of the Stars"). In 1988, Kensit and Eighth Wonder had two Top 40 singles: "I'm Not Scared", written by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe and produced by the Pet Shop Boys and Phil Harding (for PWL), which reached Number 7 in the British charts. "Cross My Heart" reached Number 13. That year also saw Kensit have a role in the Italian film Don Bosco. Eighth Wonder's final charted song in the UK was the single "Baby Baby", whilst their final hit was "Use Me" which charted in Japan in 1989.

Although Eighth Wonder's success had waned by 1989, the group disbanded and Kensit focused solely on her acting career, appearing in the 1989 film Lethal Weapon 2 as Rika van den Haas, a South African consulate secretary with whom detective Martin Riggs, played by Mel Gibson, falls in love. Later that year, Kensit starred in the film A Chorus of Disapproval directed by Michael Winner, and in the television film Arms and the Man with Helena Bonham Carter. In 1990, she starred in Chicago Joe and the Showgirl with Kiefer Sutherland and the German film Kill Cruise, and made a cameo appearance in the comedy film Bullseye!, again directed by Winner. In 1991, Kensit had roles in the Italian action film Blue Tornado and the American sci-fi thriller Timebomb, before starring in Prince of Shadows opposite Terence Stamp. She had a leading role in the romantic comedy television film, Does This Mean We're Married? during which she sings the song "Rambo Doll". Kensit starred in the 1991 film Twenty-One, for which she received a nomination for Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead. Of her role, Variety magazine wrote, "Fans of Kensit get plenty of her; her lovely face and form are always the center of attention. The cool control with which she executes the role is admirable". In 1992, she had a leading role in the British film Blame it on the Bellboy. In 1995, Kensit starred with Kristin Scott Thomas and Mark Rylance in Angels & Insects, which was directed by Philip Haas, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Costume Design. In 2000, she portrayed Angie Best in Best, a biopic of the footballer George Best. In 2002, Kensit starred in the Newcastle-based The One and Only.

In 2004, Kensit joined the cast of soap opera Emmerdale as Sadie King, and also regularly featured in the third series of Channel 4's Bo' Selecta!, along with its 2005 spin-off series A Bear's Tail. In September 2006, Kensit left Emmerdale, stating that commuting to Yorkshire and the time away from her sons was too stressful. In September and October 2005, Kensit appeared as a celebrity contestant in Ant & Dec's Gameshow Marathon, progressing through to Play Your Cards Right, before being eliminated by Carol Vorderman. On 23 June 2006, Kensit guest hosted The Friday Night Project with band Placebo. She appeared as the Grand High Witch of all the World at the Children's Party at the Palace in celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday in 2006. She also became the voice of online gambling website 32red.com. In January 2007, Kensit joined the BBC One medical drama Holby City as ward sister Faye Morton. On 14 March 2010, it was revealed that she had decided to leave the show. In May 2019, it was announced that Kensit would reprise her role as Faye Morton for an episode, later in the year. In August 2008, Kensit appeared as a subject in the sixth series of Who Do You Think You Are?. Until Bruce Forsyth's episode broadcast in July 2010, it became the highest-rated episode for the programme, being seen by 7.10 million viewers. As of 2023, it is still the second-highest rating episode of the programme.

In September 2010, Kensit participated as a contestant on the eighth series of Strictly Come Dancing. She was partnered with professional dancer Robin Windsor. They were the eighth couple to be eliminated from the competition, finishing in seventh place. On 15 May 2012, she narrated the Channel 4 documentary Sex, Lies and Rinsing Guys. In October 2013, Kensit released her autobiography, titled Absolute Beginner, published by Sidgwick & Jackson. On 7 April 2014, Kensit was a guest panellist on ITV chat show Loose Women. On 7 January 2015, Kensit took part as a housemate in the fifteenth series of Celebrity Big Brother. She was the third celebrity to be evicted from the House, after spending 21 days. In 2018, Kensit started her Conscious Puberty campaign, which came about after she experienced significant challenges during the menopause. She now uses the campaign across social media channels to converse with other women of every age. In March 2021, Kensit appeared on BBC Two's Richard Osman's House of Games. Later that year, she made a guest appearance in an episode of McDonald & Dodds and starred in the film The Pebble and the Boy. In June 2022, Kensit took part in the Platinum Jubilee Pageant as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations; Kensit, alongside Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and others represented the decade of the 1990s. In October 2022, Kensit starred in the action thriller film Renegades alongside Lee Majors, and Danny Trejo. In November 2022, it was announced that Kensit would join the cast of the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Emma Harding, the biological mother of Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold). Kensit made her first on-screen appearance as Emma on 25 January 2023. Kensit latest appearance to date in EastEnders was broadcast in September 2023. In December 2023, Kensit guest starred in the Death in Paradise Christmas special. She starred in two films in 2025, Borley Rectory: The Awakening alongside Julian Glover, and A Scottish Christmas Secret, a festive movie in which she played Caprice Bourret's sister. In April 2026, Kensit took part in the BBC television series Pilgrimage walking from Whitby Abbey to Holy Island. In May 2026, ITV announced that Kensit had agreed to reprise her role as Sadie King in Emmerdale after twenty years away, signing a six-month contract lasting until December 2026, with her comeback scenes set to air on 2 September 2026.

Kensit has been married four times. Following relationships with model Barry Kamen and singer Richard Darbyshire, in 1988, Kensit married Dan Donovan of the band Big Audio Dynamite at a register office in Scarborough during the filming of A Chorus of Disapproval, but the couple divorced in 1991. After her divorce from Donovan, Kensit had a short relationship with actor Terence Stamp during and after the filming of Prince of Shadows. In 1992, she married Jim Kerr, lead singer of Simple Minds. During the marriage, she gave birth to a son, James. Kensit and Kerr divorced in 1996. Shortly after separating from Kerr, Kensit began dating Liam Gallagher from the band Oasis. The couple became the subject of intense media scrutiny and became known for their lifestyle, parties and high-profile social life, as well as public disputes and displays of affection. Kensit and Gallagher married in April 1997 at Marylebone Town Hall. Kensit and Gallagher became members of the Primrose Hill set and became synonymous with the Britpop and Cool Britannia cultures, with the couple being referred to as the "President and First Lady of Britpop" by the media. In 1999, Kensit and Gallagher had a son, Lennon, named after John Lennon; his godmother is actress Elizabeth Hurley, Kensit's co-star in the film Kill Cruise. Following reports of Gallagher's infidelity, including fathering a child to singer Lisa Moorish two months into his and Kensit's marriage, the couple separated and divorced in 2000. Following a relationship with footballer Ally McCoist in 2001, Kensit later became involved with rap artist and beatboxer Killa Kela. They separated a year later. She later began a relationship with the DJ Jeremy Healy and announced that she was marrying for a fourth time on 29 November 2007. On 31 March 2008, it was reported that the couple had split by mutual consent and had called off their wedding. They later reconciled, and married on 18 April 2009. During the marriage, Kensit was known as "Patsy Kensit-Healy". It was reported in February 2010 that the couple had separated, with their divorce confirmed later in the year. Kensit has also been romantically linked with musician Gary Kemp, singer Andrew Ridgeley, footballer Ryan Giggs, singer Michael Hutchence, comedian and actor David Walliams, actor Leo Gregory, and footballer Michael Gray.

Kensit is a Roman Catholic, although she identifies as an à la carte member of the faith. Kensit had her children baptised and confirmed in the Catholic tradition. She began attending church after her mother's death.

In 2015, Kensit launched her own beauty, skincare and cosmetics line called Preciously Perfect by Patsy Kensit.