Lolly
Birth nameAnna Shantha Kumble
Also known asLolly
Born (1977-06-27) 27 June 1977 (age 46)
Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England
Occupation(s)Musician, TV presenter
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active1998–2000, 2005, 2018–present (musician, actress, TV presenter)
LabelsPolydor

Lolly (born Anna Shantha Kumble (pronounced KUUM-blay, Kŭmblā); 27 June 1977, Sutton Coldfield)[1] is an English singer, dancer and TV presenter.

Career

Anna Kumble worked as a model before going into a pop career. Lolly arrived on the British pop music scene in 1999 with the release of her first single, "Viva La Radio". She released five top 20 singles and two albums over her two-year career in music. Her real name was released one letter at a time in Smash Hits magazine. After quitting her record label Polydor, Lolly reverted to her real name and began TV presenting, working for the BBC on programmes such as Xchange.[2] She also works for Nickelodeon. Kumble also acted as a stand-in for presenter Anna Williamson some Saturday and Sunday mornings on now-axed kids show Toonattik on CITV. She has had roles in West End productions of Starlight Express at the Apollo Victoria Theatre and played Priscilla Presley in Elvis at the Prince of Wales Theatre.[3] In July 2018, her first two albums My First Album and Pick 'n' Mix were released digitally. In October 2018, she released a new single, "Stay Young and Beautiful", her first in 18 years. In 2020, Lolly's follow-up single was titled "Paper Rain".[4]

Pantomime

Kumble has starred in a number of pantomimes, typically billed as "Anna Kumble (Lolly)". In 2002, she played Tinker Bell in Peter Pan at the Theatre Royal, Brighton.[3] In 2004, she played the title role in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Derby Assembly Rooms.[5] In 2006, Kumble starred as Alice Fitzwarren in Dick Whittington at The Playhouse in Weston-super-Mare. In 2009, Kumble again starred in Dick Whittington as Fairy Bowbells, this time at the Stag theatre, Kent.[6]

In 2010, Kumble returned to Peter Pan, this time playing the role of Tiger Lily at the Lichfield Garrick Theatre.[7] In December 2012, she appeared in Jack and the Beanstalk in Weymouth.[8] In December 2018, she appeared in Cinderella as the Fairy Godmother in Telford.[9] She returned to Telford in December 2022, where she appeared in Snow White as the Evil Queen.[10]

Personal life

Anna Kumble was born to Jaiker Kumble (who emigrated from India) and Barbara in Sutton Coldfield. She has a brother Paul, and a sister Jodie. Kumble attended The Shrubbery School, Highclare School and Plantsbrook School in Sutton Coldfield.[11] Kumble is a graduate of the London Studio Centre[12] and has two children, a son Charlie and a daughter Belle, who is following in her mother’s musical footsteps.[13]

Discography

Albums

Year Title Chart positions
UK
[14]
1999 My First Album 21
2000 Pick 'n' Mix 80

Singles

Year Single Chart peak positions Album
UK
[14] 		AUS
[15]
1999 "Viva La Radio" 7 — My First Album / Pick 'n' Mix
"Mickey" 4 66
"Big Boys Don't Cry" / "Rockin' Robin" 10 —
2000 "Per Sempre Amore" 11 — Pick 'n' Mix
"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" 14 —
2018 "Stay Young and Beautiful"[16] — — Non-album singles
2020 "Paper Rain"[17] — —

References

  1. ^ "Lolly | MTV UK". Mtv.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2010.
  2. ^ "Whatever happened to... Lolly?". Femalefirst.co.uk. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
  3. ^ a b "Peter Pan (Theatre Royal, Brighton) on Arts Archive". Arts-archive.com. Retrieved 20 January 2010.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ Currinn, Jonathan (13 July 2018). "Lolly Goes Digital With "My First Album" From 1999 and "Pick 'n' Mix" From 2000 And Confirms New Music". CelebMix. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". Paul Holman Associates. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  6. ^ "Dick still pulls in a crowd". Thisiskent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 March 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  7. ^ "Peter Pan". Behindthearras.com. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  8. ^ "Weymouth Panto 2012/13". Magicbeansproductions.com. Archived from the original on 30 December 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  9. ^ "Cinderella". The Place Telford. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  10. ^ "Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs". www.telfordtheatre.com. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Former Birmingham pop star in fight to become face of chocolate bar". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  12. ^ "Graduate Update". London Studio Centre. Archived from the original on 24 October 2005. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  13. ^ "Weymouth Panto 2012 Meet The Cast". YouTube. 18 June 2012. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  14. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 326. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  15. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 170.
  16. ^ Stay Young and Beautiful - Single on iTunes
  17. ^ Paper Rain - Single on iTunes

External links

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