Daisy Donovan
Encyclopedia
Daisy Donovan is an American
-born British
television presenter, actress and writer
.
, New York
, USA. Her father was fashion photographer and film director Terence Donovan
; her mother Diana Donovan, is chairwoman of the English National Ballet School
. She is sister to Rockstar Games
founder Terry Donovan and half-sister to Big Audio Dynamite keyboard player Dan Donovan
- and therefore former sister-in-law of Patsy Kensit
. Donovan went to the independent St Paul's Girls School in Hammersmith
, London, where she met her inspiration – the High Mistress, Baroness Brigstocke. She went to the University of Cambridge
to read Classics
, but found that subject was not for her and went to Edinburgh University, graduating in Performing Arts
. She then studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
.
. The producers were looking for a female interviewer who would act straight but use comedic lines, and searched everywhere - until they tried their receptionist, the rather posh-talking Donovan. She made occasional appearance as "It Girl
" Pandora Box-Grainger. In the second series she presented shorts, "Angel of Delight", in which she interviewed politicians – she once asked Denis Healey
whether he would ever give Margaret Thatcher
a "pearl necklace" – and got the co-host job with Iain Lee
from late 1999–2000.
In 2000, Donovan was featured prominently in series one of sitcom My Family, playing Brigitte, Ben's annoying, superstitious dental assistant.
Donovan subsequently hosted quiz shows: Does Doug Know? and the eponymous Daisy Daisy, which she also wrote and produced. In 2006, Donovan presented the British Fashion awards and later presented one series of a programme based in America called Daisy Does America
.
producer Dan Mazer
, in 2005 in a quiet ceremony in Morocco
. They have 2 daughters: Maisy and Mini Ivy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-born British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
television presenter, actress and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
Early life
Donovan was born in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA. Her father was fashion photographer and film director Terence Donovan
Terence Donovan (photographer)
Terence Daniel Donovan was a British photographer and film director, best remembered for his fashion photography of the 1960s. He oversaw the music video to Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" and "Simply Irresistible".Donovan was born in Stepney in the East End of London to Lilian Constance V...
; her mother Diana Donovan, is chairwoman of the English National Ballet School
English National Ballet
English National Ballet is a classical ballet company founded by Dame Alicia Markova and Sir Anton Dolin and based at Markova House in South Kensington, London, England. Along with the Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and Scottish Ballet, it is one of the four major ballet companies in Great...
. She is sister to Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games is a major video game developer and publisher based in New York City, owned by Take-Two Interactive following its purchase of UK video game publisher BMG Interactive. The brand is mostly known for Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne, L.A...
founder Terry Donovan and half-sister to Big Audio Dynamite keyboard player Dan Donovan
Dan Donovan (keyboardist)
For other people with this name, see Dan Donovan.Daniel "Dan" Donovan is a British keyboardist probably best known for being a member of Big Audio Dynamite. Following a brief stint in 1990 with The Sisters of Mercy he became a founding member of Dreadzone...
- and therefore former sister-in-law of Patsy Kensit
Patsy Kensit
Patricia Jude Francis "Patsy" Kensit is an English actress, singer, model and former child star, known for her television and film appearances. Her films include Lethal Weapon 2 and she has been married to rock stars Jim Kerr and Liam Gallagher, as well as herself fronting the band Eighth Wonder...
. Donovan went to the independent St Paul's Girls School in Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, London, where she met her inspiration – the High Mistress, Baroness Brigstocke. She went to the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
to read Classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
, but found that subject was not for her and went to Edinburgh University, graduating in Performing Arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
. She then studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art is a leading British drama school in west London. LAMDA's president is Timothy West and its new principal is Joanna Read, who recently succeeded Peter James...
.
Career
Donovan became a receptionist, and then a runner on the first series of The Eleven O'Clock ShowThe Eleven O'Clock Show
The 11 O'Clock Show was a satirical late-night British television comedy series on Channel 4, which featured topical sketches and commentary on news items.The series ran from 1998 to 2000, most notably while hosted by Iain Lee and Daisy Donovan...
. The producers were looking for a female interviewer who would act straight but use comedic lines, and searched everywhere - until they tried their receptionist, the rather posh-talking Donovan. She made occasional appearance as "It Girl
It girl
"It girl" is a term for a young woman who possess the quality "It", absolute attraction.The early usage of the concept "it" in this meaning may be seen in a story by Rudyard Kipling: "It isn't beauty, so to speak, nor good talk necessarily. It's just 'It'."...
" Pandora Box-Grainger. In the second series she presented shorts, "Angel of Delight", in which she interviewed politicians – she once asked Denis Healey
Denis Healey
Denis Winston Healey, Baron Healey CH, MBE, PC is a British Labour politician, who served as Secretary of State for Defence from 1964 to 1970 and Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1974 to 1979.-Early life:...
whether he would ever give Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
a "pearl necklace" – and got the co-host job with Iain Lee
Iain Lee
Iain Lee is a British comedian, and a television and radio presenter. His career began when he performed stand-up comedy gigs across venues in London. He subsequently became co-presenter of the comedy current affairs show The 11 O'Clock Show on Channel 4 and RI:SE...
from late 1999–2000.
In 2000, Donovan was featured prominently in series one of sitcom My Family, playing Brigitte, Ben's annoying, superstitious dental assistant.
Donovan subsequently hosted quiz shows: Does Doug Know? and the eponymous Daisy Daisy, which she also wrote and produced. In 2006, Donovan presented the British Fashion awards and later presented one series of a programme based in America called Daisy Does America
Daisy Does America
Daisy Does America is a hybrid reality/comedy series that premiered on TBS on 6 December 2005. The show, similar to British actress and comedian Daisy Donovan's previous outing for British television Daisy, Daisy, was adapted for US audiences by actors Courteney Cox Arquette and David Arquette for...
.
Personal life
She married long time boyfriend, the Academy Award nominated Ali GAli G
Ali G is a satirical fictional character invented and performed by English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. Originally appearing on Channel 4's Eleven O'Clock show, Ali G is the title character of Channel 4's Da Ali G Show, original episodes of which aired in 2000 and on HBO in 2003–2004, and is the...
producer Dan Mazer
Dan Mazer
Dan Mazer is a British screenwriter, TV/film producer, and comedian. He is best known as the long-time writing and production partner of Sacha Baron Cohen and has worked with him on such characters as Ali G and Borat...
, in 2005 in a quiet ceremony in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. They have 2 daughters: Maisy and Mini Ivy.
Filmography
- Spiceworld: The Movie (reporter, uncredited) 1997
- Still CrazyStill CrazyStill Crazy is a 1998 comedy film about a fictional 1970s rock band named "Strange Fruit", who, after being split up for several decades, are persuaded to get back together to perform at a reunion of the same concert venue where they played their last gig...
(female reporter) 1998 - Parting ShotsParting ShotsParting Shots is a 1999 film starring Chris Rea, Felicity Kendal, Oliver Reed and Joanna Lumley. It was the last film directed by Michael Winner to date....
1998 - The Eleven O'Clock ShowThe Eleven O'Clock ShowThe 11 O'Clock Show was a satirical late-night British television comedy series on Channel 4, which featured topical sketches and commentary on news items.The series ran from 1998 to 2000, most notably while hosted by Iain Lee and Daisy Donovan...
(presenter) 1998-2000 - The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (Alexanda/Marina)) 1999
- My Family BBC television comedy series 1 (Brigitte) (2000)
- Daisy, Daisy (host) 2001
- Does Doug Know? (host) 2002
- Second Nature (Kristina Kane/Amy O'Brien) 2003
- Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile for UKUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television (Cornelia Robson) 2004 - Coming Up (Jen) Pillow Talk episode 2004
- MillionsMillionsMillions is a 2004 British comedy-drama film, directed by Academy Award–winning director Danny Boyle, and starring Alex Etel, Lewis McGibbon, and James Nesbitt. The screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce adapted his novel while the film was in the process of being made...
(Dorothy) 2004 - Angel's Hell (Polly) 2005
- Daisy Does AmericaDaisy Does AmericaDaisy Does America is a hybrid reality/comedy series that premiered on TBS on 6 December 2005. The show, similar to British actress and comedian Daisy Donovan's previous outing for British television Daisy, Daisy, was adapted for US audiences by actors Courteney Cox Arquette and David Arquette for...
(host) 2005 - Death at a Funeral (Martha) 2007
- Wild Child (Miss Rees-Withers) 2008