Amanda Holden

Did not see her daughter Hollie for three days after giving birth to her due to both mother and child being in critical danger. Hollie was put on a respirator due to breathing difficulties and Holden needed several blood transfusions due to a severe amount of blood loss.
Trained to be an actress for three years at London's Mountview Theatre School.
Gave birth to her first child at age 34, daughter Alexa Louise Florence Hughes, on 1/20/06. Child's father is her fiancé (now second husband), Chris Hughes.
She was nominated for a 2004 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Musical of 2003 for her performance in "Thoroughly Modern Millie", performed at the Shaftesbury Theatre.
She and husband Les Dennis separated in 2002 following her affair with Neil Morrissey. They divorced in November 2003.

I had a weekend job in a shoe shop to get me through college. I had a grant, but when you study in London you need as much money as you can get. I also once sprayed perfume in Boots for a week, but I couldn't stand the smell.
"Doing Top of the Pops (1998) is one of my ambitions but I don't want to be one of those actresses who suddenly goes: "oh yeah, I always wanted to be a pop star". I always wanted to show I could perform and then maybe release something once I'd proved myself. Considering my age, I'm not going to wear crop tops and try to be Britney. I like country but I don't think "Amanda Holden's Country Album" would be a huge seller. Maybe a bit more of a crossover like Shania Twain. I wouldn't mind covering Dolly Parton's Nine To Five".
[after hearing Susan Boyle's performance of I Dreamed a Dream on Britain's Got Talent 2009] That's the biggest wake-up call ever.
[Susan Boyle] She'll be an international superstar - but I don't think she'll have longevity. This world is fickle; we pick people up and spit them out just as quick.
[to Susan Boyle for the Britain's Got Talent 2009 final] I am proud you represent Britain so brilliantly. I just want to apologize for...the way we treated you before you sang the first time. You made me and everyone else look very stupid.