Amanda Jane Mealing (born 22 April 1967) is an English actress best known for playing Connie Beauchamp in the BBC One medical drama series Holby City. Originally known as Mandy Mealing, her first professional performance was in a Julie Andrews special on BBC television at the age of six. She then started Saturday classes at the Italia Conti Academy, before enrolling full-time at the age of nine. Parts in Just William, The Morecambe & Wise Show and Premiere followed, before she was cast as comprehensive-school pupil Tracy Edwards in Phil Redmond's long-running BBC1 children's drama series Grange Hill. Mealing appeared in The Darling Buds of May, Four Weddings and a Funeral, In Deep, Capital City, The Bill, Midsomer Murders, and Delise in the 1990 mini series The Gravy Train. She played Ruth Manning in the first series of Russell T Davies' 1920s period drama series The Grand in 1997, and JoJo in Jimmy McGovern's The ... Read >

Amanda Jane Mealing (born 22 April 1967) is an English actress best known for playing Connie Beauchamp in the BBC One medical drama series Holby City. Originally known as Mandy Mealing, her first professional performance was in a Julie Andrews special on BBC television at the age of six. She then started Saturday classes at the Italia Conti Academy, before enrolling full-time at the age of nine. Parts in Just William, The Morecambe & Wise Show and Premiere followed, before she was cast as comprehensive-school pupil Tracy Edwards in Phil Redmond's long-running BBC1 children's drama series Grange Hill. Mealing appeared in The Darling Buds of May, Four Weddings and a Funeral, In Deep, Capital City, The Bill, Midsomer Murders, and Delise in the 1990 mini series The Gravy Train. She played Ruth Manning in the first series of Russell T Davies' 1920s period drama series The Grand in 1997, and JoJo in Jimmy McGovern's The Lakes in 1999. Alan Bleasdale wrote the part of Katie in "Jake's Progress" for Amanda after working with her on GBH. Mealing has appeared as Cardiothoracic Consultant Connie Beauchamp in BBC One's BAFTA award winning medical drama series Holby City since 1 June 2004, having previously made a guest appearance as a different character in 2001. On the 16th July 2010, Mealing appeared on ITV's The Five O'Clock Show with Jason Donovan & Corrine Bailey Rae. On October 8, 2010 Amanda shot her final scene for Holby City, after nearly seven years. The final episode aired at 8.00pm on 28 December 2010, with Connie resigning from her position at the hospital. Amanda has been married to screenwriter Richard Sainsbury since 1998, they have two sons — Milo James (born 1999) and Otis Joe (born 2002) — and live on a farm in Lincolnshire. Paul O'Grady and Charlie Condou are close friends of Mealing and are godfathers to her sons. She has appeared on The Paul O'Grady Show on several occasions, sometimes with Milo and Otis. The day after giving birth to her second son, Mealing was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has since made a full recovery. Amanda was asked to be an ambassador for Breast Cancer Care in early 2010, a charity she has a close bond with. "When I was diagnosed the first leaflet I received was from Breast Cancer Care. They have been there for me ever since. I am deeply honoured to be given a chance to give something back to them." After losing a close friend to breast cancer early the same year Amanda decided to dedicate a justgiving site to raising money in memory of her friend. She is currently in training for the 2012 London Marathon. Show Less <