Cherie Mary Lunghi (born 4 April 1952) is an English film, television, theatre actress and voice-over artist. She is known for her roles in many British dramas. Her international fame stems from her role as Guenevere in the 1981 film Excalibur. Lunghi's long list of screen, stage and TV credits include football manager Gabriella Benson in the 1990s television series The Manageress and a series of advertisements for Kenco coffee. She also competed in the 2008 series of Strictly Come Dancing. She is the mother of the actress Nathalie Lunghi.

Early life

Lunghi was born in Nottingham. Her father, Alessandro Lunghi, was Italian. She was raised by her mother, aunt and grandmother, seeing her father only occasionally. Lunghi has described herself as feeling "different" as she did not have a mother and father like other children.

Career

Educated at London's Arts Educational School, Lunghi played Hedvig in The Wild Duck 

Strictly Come Dancing

In 2008, she competed in the sixth series of BBC television's Strictly Come Dancing (14-week run), partnered by James Jordan. After her first dance, the Foxtrot on the Ladies Night in week two, she scored the highest points of the first two weeks (33). She beat this score with another series-best score of 35/40 for the rumba to finish week four atop the remaining 12 contestants with an average score of 34/40. The score for her third dance, the American Smooth, was an impressive 34 to maintain her average, though she slipped to 31/40 for the Paso Doble, and further to 26/40 on her fifth outing, in the Salsa. She returned to form the following week with a Waltz, scoring 36/40, and was joint first on the leaderboard.

She was voted off the competition on 16 November 2008 (week nine), losing by three votes to one in the dance-off against model Lisa Snowdon after performing a Cha-Cha-Cha. In the January–February 2009 Strictly Tour, she danced an American Smooth and a rumba with James Jordan.

Personal life

Lunghi was briefly married to South African student Ralph Lawson after the pair met while studying at London's Central School of Speech and Drama. She has a daughter, Nathalie Lunghi, with the director Roland Joffé.

Filmography

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

! Year

! Title

! Role

|-

| 1980

| Diversion

| Erica

|-

| 1981

| Excalibur

| Guenevere

|-

|Rowspan=2|1985

| King David

| Michal

|-

| Parker

| Jenny Parker

|-

|1986

||Harem

|Usta

|-

|Rowspan=2|1986

| '

| Carlotta

|-

| Letters to an Unknown Lover

| Helene

|-

|1987

|Coast to Coast

|Susan

|-

|Rowspan=2|1988

| Intrigue

| Adriana

|-

| To Kill a Priest

| Halina

|-

| 1990

| Ransom

| Claire Stein

|-

| 1993

| Silent Cries

| Audrey

|-

| 1994

| Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

| Baroness Frankenstein (Victor's Mother)

|-

| 1995

| Jack and Sarah

| Anna

|-

| 1997

| '

| Myrna Smithee

|-

| 2001

| Back to the Secret Garden

| Lady Mary Craven

|-

| 2004

| Viper in the Fist

| Miss Chilton

|-

| 2011

| Love's Kitchen

| Margaret

|-

| 2018

| Patrick

| Rosemary

|}

Television

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

! Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

<!-- template for additional rows:

|-

| || … || … || Episode: "…"

-- end of template -->

|-

| || ' || || Episode: "The Incredible Adventures of James Rupert Varney"

|-

| || ' || The young girl ||

|-

| || Sherlock Holmes || Emily || Episode: "The Second Stain"

|-

| || Dr. Finlay's Casebook || Kirstie (Antonio) || Episode: "The Visitation"

|-

| || ' || Student || Episode: "Home and Abroad"

|-

| || Peter and the Princess || Princess ||

|-

| || Bill Brand || Alex Ferguson ||

|-

|Rowspan=2<!-- Rowspan is incompatible with complete chronological date sorting -->|1978

| Edward and Mrs. Simpson

| Lady Thelma Furness

|

|-

| '

| Ephesus Townsperson

|

|-

| || Play of the Month || Anna Danby || Episode: "Kean"&nbsp;

|-

| || Prince Regent || Princess Charlotte || Episode: "Milk and Honey"&nbsp;

|-

| rowspan="3" | || Festival || Celimene || Episode: The Misanthrope

|-

| Armchair Thriller

| Stephanie

| Episode: "Dead Man's Kit"

|-

| Tis Pity She's a Whore

| Annabella

|

|-

|Rowspan=2<!-- Rowspan is incompatible with complete chronological date sorting -->|1981

|<!-- || --> Tales of the Unexpected

| Karen Masterson

| Episode: "Death in the Morning"

|-

| The Agatha Christie Hour

| Lady Noreen Elliot

| "The Manhood of Edward Robinson"

|-

| || If Winter Comes || Csöppi/Ilóna ||

|-

| || Playhouse || Emily || Episode: "Preview"

|-

| Rowspan=2<!-- Rowspan is incompatible with complete chronological date sorting -->|1982

| Oliver Twist

| Nancy

|

|-

| Praying Mantis

| Beatrice Manceau

|

|-

| || Jackanory || Storyteller || Episodes: "Puss in Boots", "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "Cinderella"

|-

| || Play of the Month || Celimene || Episode: "The Misanthrope"

|-

|

| '

| Mary Morstan

|

|-

| || Play for Today || Sue || Episode: "Desert of Lies"

|-

|Rowspan=5<!-- Rowspan is incompatible with complete chronological date sorting -->|1984

|Strangers and Brothers

| Margaret Davidson/Eliot

|

|-

|Master of the Game

| Margaret Van der Merwe

|

|-

|Ellis Island

| Una Marbury

|

|-

|BBC Television Shakespeare

| Beatrice

|Episode: Much Ado About Nothing

|-

| Bones

| Jenny Parker

|

|-

|Rowspan=2<!-- Rowspan is incompatible with complete chronological date sorting -->|1985

|Vicious Circle

| Estelle

|

|-

| "Something About You" by Level 42

| Love interest

| Music video

|-

| || ' || Minnie ||

|-

|Rowspan=2<!-- Rowspan is incompatible with complete chronological date sorting -->|1986

| Harem

| Usta

|

|-

|'

| Dorothy

|

|-

| || Screen Two || Susan || Episode: "Coast to Coast"

|-

| Rowspan=2<!-- Rowspan is incompatible with complete chronological date sorting -->|1987

|Coast to Coast

| Susan

|

|-

|'

| Jennet Jourdemayne

|

|-

| 1988

| '

| Lili

|

|-

| 1989

| '

| Gabriella Benson

|

|-

| 1990

| '

| Natalie Arno

| Episode: "Put on by Cunning"

|-

| 1991

| '

| Jetti

|

|-

| 1992

| Covington Cross / Charing Cross

| Lady Elizabeth

|

|-

| 1993

| '

| Helen West

|

|-

| 1995

| The Buccaneers

| Laura Testvalley

|

|-

| Rowspan=3<!-- Rowspan is incompatible with complete chronological date sorting -->|1996

| Strangers

| Joan

| Episode 1 of Canadian TV series

|-

| '

| Lucille Otis

|

|-

| Moloney

| Sarah Bateman

|

|-

| 1998

| Little White Lies

| Julia

|

|-

| Rowspan=2<!-- Rowspan is incompatible with complete chronological date sorting -->|1999

| Hornblower

| Duchess of Wharfedale/Kitty Cobham

| Episode: "The Duchess and the Devil"

|-

| David Copperfield

| Mrs Steerforth

|

|-

| 2000

| '

| Merie Kirschman

|

|-

| 2001

| EastEnders

| Jan Sherwood

|

|-

| Rowspan=3<!-- Rowspan is incompatible with complete chronological date sorting -->|2002

| '

| Sarah Gordon

| Episode: "For the Sake of Elena"

|-

|Waking The Dead

| Leah Gold

| Episode: "Thin Air"

|-

|The Seasons Alter

| Titania

|

|-

| Rowspan=3<!-- Rowspan is incompatible with complete chronological date sorting -->|2003

| Cutting It

| Zinnia Raggitt

|

|-

| Midsomer Murders

| Lillian Webster

| Episode: "The Green Man"

|-

| New Tricks

| Diane Loveless

| Episode: "Good Work Rewarded"

|-

| 2004

| '

| Cleo Steyn

|

|-

| 2005

| Agatha Christie's Marple

| Sadie Swettenham

| Episode: "A Murder is Announced"

|-

|Rowspan=2<!-- Rowspan is incompatible with complete chronological date sorting -->|2006

| Dalziel & Pascoe

| Kay Miclean

| Episode: "Houdini's Ghost"

|-

| Casualty 1906

| Matron Eva Luckes

|

|-

| 2007

| Hotel Babylon

| Mrs Poldark

|

|-

| 2007–2011

| Secret Diary of a Call Girl

| Stephanie

| Series regular

|-

| 2007–2008

| Casualty

| Camille Windsor

| 2 episodes

|-

|Rowspan=4<!-- Rowspan is incompatible with complete chronological date sorting -->|2008

| Casualty 1907

| Matron Eva Luckes

|

|-

| '

| Detective Sergeant Annie Marsh

| Episode: "Dead End"

|-

| Apparitions

| Woman

| Episode 6

|-

| Strictly Come Dancing

| Herself

|

|-

| 2009

| Casualty 1909

| Eva Luckes

|

|-

| 2011

| Lewis

| Grace Orde

| Episode: "The Gift of Promise"

|-

| Rowspan=3<!-- Rowspan is incompatible with complete chronological date sorting -->|2013

| Who Do You Think You Are?

| Narrator

|

|-

| Pat & Cabbage

| Cabbage (Jean)

|

|-

|Death in Paradise

|Jayne Smythe

| Episode: "Death in the Clinic"

|-

|

| Holby City

| Kathy David

| Episode: "Self Control"

|-

| 2014

| Wizards vs Aliens

| Eva Starling

| Episode: "The Quantum Effect"

|-

| 2016

| Midsomer Murders

| Alexandra Monkford

| Episode: "A Dying Art"

|-

|2022 ||Strike || Gloria Conti || Episode: "Troubled Blood"

|}

Radio

{| class="wikitable sortable"

! Date !! Title !! Role !! Director !! Station

<!-- template for additional rows

|-

| || …  || … || || BBC Radio 4 … Play

-- end of template -->

|-

| || ' || Second girl || || Network Three

|-

| || ' || Marilyn || || BBC Home Service Afternoon Theatre

|-

| || ' || Alison || rowspan="2" | || Network Three

|-

| || ' || Hedvig || BBC Home Service

|-

| || Quiet Wedding || Miranda Bute || || Light Programme Midweek Theatre

|-

| || ' || Flora || || BBC Home Service

|-

| || ' || Fanny's children || || Network Three

|-

| || International Couriers: The Kidnappers || Judith Carroway || rowspan="2" | || rowspan="2" | Light Programme

|-

| || ' || Mary Durban

|-

| || Ye Daughters of Jerusalem || Debbie Hudson || || BBC Home Service

|-

| || When Sam was King || Gail Fleming || || BBC Home Service Saturday-Night Theatre

|-

| || Kittens Are Brave || Barbara Shiplake || rowspan="2" | || BBC Radio 3

|-

| || Alice's Adventures in Wonderland || Alice|| rowspan="2" | BBC Radio 4

|-

| || Golden Ring on my Finger || Clara ||

|-

| || Blood Sport || Lynnie Keeble || || BBC Radio 4 Saturday-Night Theatre

|-

| || Lost Yer Tongue? || Janet || || BBC Radio 3 Drama Now

|-

| || Joyous Days in the Desert || Janet Ross || || BBC Radio 4

|-

| || Six Characters in Search of an Author || the Step-daughter || || BBC Radio 4 & BBC World Service

|-

| || Peter Ibbetson || Mary Duchess of Towers || || BBC Radio 4 Saturday-Night Theatre

|}

Theatre

Her stage credits include:<!-- &nbsp; -->

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%"

|-

!style="width: 9em"| Date !! Title !! Role !! Director !! Company / Theatre

<!-- template for additional rows: copy the following two lines and paste in the correct chronological position

|-

| – || [[]] || || ||

-- end of template -->

|-

| – || ' || Alithea || || Royal Central School of Speech and Drama / Embassy Theatre, London

|-

| – || Canterbury Tales || Nun || || rowspan="3" | Nottingham Playhouse Company / Nottingham Playhouse

|-

| – || She Stoops to Conquer || Miss Kate Hardcastle ||

|-

| – || Major Barbara || Sarah ||

|-

| 1975

| Teeth 'n' Smiles || Laura || || English Stage Company / Royal Court Theatre, London

|-

| – ||rowspan=3| Much Ado About Nothing ||rowspan=3| Hero||rowspan=3|

| Royal Shakespeare Company / Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-on-Avon

|-

| – || Royal Shakespeare Company / Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne

|-

| – || Royal Shakespeare Company / Aldwych Theatre, London

|-

| –

|rowspan=3| Destiny||rowspan=3| Liz and Carol ||rowspan=3| || Royal Shakespeare Company / The Other Place, Stratford-on-Avon

|-

| – || Royal Shakespeare Company / Gulbenkian Studio, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

|-

| – || Royal Shakespeare Company / Aldwych Theatre, London

|-

| – || ' || Maisie || || Royal Shakespeare Company / Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-on-Avon

|-

| – || ' || Roberta || || Gulbenkian Studio, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

|-

| – || ' || Perdita || || Royal Shakespeare Company / Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-on-Avon

|-

| – || ' || Genevieve || || Royal Shakespeare Company / Aldwych Theatre

|-

| – 1977 || That Good Between Us || Rhoda || || Royal Shakespeare Company / Warehouse Theatre, London

|-

| – || Bandits || Madeline and Pat || || Royal Shakespeare Company / Warehouse Theatre

|-

| – || King Lear|| Cordelia || || rowspan="3" | Royal Shakespeare Company / Aldwych Theatre

|-

| – 1978 || As You Like It || Celia || <br>Trevor Nunn

|-

| – || Saratoga || Lucy Carter ||

|-

| – ||rowspan=3| Twelfth Night ||rowspan=3| Viola ||rowspan=3| || Royal Shakespeare Company / Royal Shakespeare Theatre

|-

| – || Royal Shakespeare Company / Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne

|-

| – || Royal Shakespeare Company / Aldwych Theatre

|-

| – || Uncle Vanya || Yelena Andreyevna || || National Theatre Company / Lyttelton Theatre, London&nbsp;

|-

| – || Holiday || Julia Seton || || Old Vic, London&nbsp;

|-

| – || '|| Ruth || || rowspan="2" | Comedy Theatre, London

|-

| – || Passion Play || Eleanor ||

|}

References

  • Cherie Lunghi at the British Film Institute
  • Cherie Lunghi at Theatricalia
  • Cherie Lunghi fansite
  • Strictly Come Dancing Cherie Lunghi profile at bbc.co.uk