Anna Louise Friel was born on 12 July 1976 in Rochdale, Lancashire. At high school girl envisaged a career as a barrister and, after passing 9 GCSEs, went on to study for her 'A' levels at a college. Anna was bitten by the acting bug, landing several minor TV appearances in soaps (Emmerdale and Coronation Street) and a part as one of Michael Palin's daughters in the acclaimed Alan Bleasdale serial GBH on Channel 4.

Beth's strength of character was admired by mums and their teenage daughters, and Anna's fresh beauty stirred lustful letching in dads and their sons. Ratings grew steadily as the storyline developed to reveal that Beth and her sister had been sexually abused by their father, who got his comeuppance when Beth and her mother killed him and buried the body under the patio. All good soap opera stuff, if that's what blows your frock up.

Anna lived in London until recently, though work commitments meant that girl was rarely home. Celeb bought a home in Windsor in summer 2000, where babe now lives with her partner David Thewlis when not at his London home or away working. David also has a small part in Timeline, which gets its UK release next year.