Velile Tshabalala
Velile Tshabalala at the Doctor Who 50th anniversary celebration on 22 November 2013
Born (1984-03-09) 9 March 1984 (age 39)
Whitechapel, London, England
OccupationActress
Years active2003–present

Velile Tshabalala (born 9 March 1984)[1][2] is an English actress, known for portraying Kareesha Lopez in Kerching! and Rosita in the 2008 Doctor Who special "The Next Doctor".

Background

Born in Whitechapel, London, Tshabalala was raised in Ilford.[3] She is of Zimbabwean descent.[2] Her father is a mechanical engineer and her mother is a health visitor.[2] She has one sister and two brothers.[1] She trained at the Sylvia Young Theatre School,[3] where she attended weekend classes from the age of 14.[2] For higher education, she attended sixth form and completed her A-levels.

Career

Tshabalala made her professional debut at the age of 18, in the CBBC sitcom Kerching!.[4] She played waitress Kareesha Lopez, who did very little work and was a stereotypical teenage girl. She played several roles in all three series of the BBC Three sketch comedy Tittybangbang. She appeared as a prostitute in the 2004 short film Streets. In January 2008, she played a librarian in the ChuckleVision episode "Jumping Jackpot". She played Rosita in that year's Doctor Who Christmas special "The Next Doctor".[5] She made her pantomime debut in the 2008 production of Dick Whittington's Cat at the Compass Theatre in Ickenham.[6] In 2011, Tshabalala very briefly appeared in the penultimate episode of series three of the E4 series Misfits as the gangs' newest probation worker, Laura. However, she only lasted for a matter of seconds after arriving at the community centre, ultimately being killed after being bitten by a zombie. In July 2014, she completed filming on the feature film The Journey.[7] In November 2021, it was announced that Tshabalala had been cast in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks as Viv, the mother of established character DeMarcus Westwood (Tomi Ade).[8] In February 2022, she starred as Gloria in Running with Lions at the Lyric Theatre, London.[9]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2003–2006 Kerching! Kareesha Lopez
2004 Streets Prostitute Film
2006 Tittybangbang Various characters
2008 ChuckleVision Librarian Episode: "Jumping Jackpot"
2008 Katy Brand's Big Ass Show Various characters
2008 Doctor Who Rosita Episode: "The Next Doctor"
2009 The Legend of Dick and Dom Cheryl 1 episode
2011 Misfits Laura 1 episode
2012 The Secret of Crickley Hall Teacher 1 episode
2013 Call the Midwife Monique Hyde 1 episode
2016–2017 Class Dismissed Various 12 episodes
2021 Hollyoaks Viv 3 episodes
2023 Death in Paradise Barbara Carter Episode: "An Unpleasant Homecoming"
2023 Casualty Caroline Pickard 1 episode

References

  1. ^ a b Martin, Will (26 November 2008). "Velile Tshabalala (Doctor Who) Interview". LastBroadcast.co.uk. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d Collins, Robert (16 December 2008). "Doctor Who: Velile Tshabalala". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  3. ^ a b "Former toilet cleaner Velile Tshabalala on landing starring role in this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special". Daily Mirror. 23 December 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  4. ^ Hewitt, Phil (24 September 2008). "Who's that girl? New assistant for the Doctor lands in West Sussex". West Sussex Gazette. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  5. ^ Wilkes, Neil (17 December 2008). "Velile Tshabalala ('Doctor Who')". Digital Spy. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  6. ^ Coombs, Dan (16 December 2008). "Who's that girl?". Uxbridge Gazette. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  7. ^ thejourneythemovie.com
  8. ^ Anderton, Joe (2 November 2021). "Hollyoaks to bring in DeMarcus Westwood's mother as his future comes under threat". Digital Spy. (Hearst Magazines UK). Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  9. ^ "Running With Lions". Lyric Hammersmith. Retrieved 17 February 2022.

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