Debbie Kurup

Debbie Kurup (born 3 July 1979) is an English actress. Kurup was educated at the Edmonton County School in the London Borough of Enfieldand later trained at the North London Dance Studio.

Kurup starred as Jack in the Hackney Empire's production of Jack and the Beanstalk alongside Clive Rowe from November 2015. Also in 2015 she played the role of Reno Sweeney in Stage Entertainment's production of Anything Goes (UK/Ireland Tour) for which she received a MTA nomination for Best Actress. She also received outstanding reviews: The Sunday Times writes: "The show belongs to Kurup's Reno, a cool wisecracking customer and a hot gospel singer: the evening builds to the euphoric release of her show stopper, "Blow, Gabriel Blow". " Susannah Clapp of The Guardian wrote: "Kurup, is the star - and a gloriously varied one. She belts out her numbers (she has all the biggest) and soars. She is full of jagged little gestures. Anything Goes should make her name". Theatre critic Mark Lawson's top 10 Theatre productions of 2014 included Anything Goes; "Debbie Kurup suggesting superstardom in her delivery of the title number and others". Alfred Hickling of the Guardian wrote; "Debbie Kurup is without doubt the heart, soul and lungs of the production in the role of nightclub chanteuse Reno Sweeney, whose delivery of the least pious spiritual ever written Blow, Gabriel Blow is sufficient to give the devil hot sweats".

Prior to this, she played Nicki Marron in the World Premiere of The Bodyguard at the Adelphi Theatre, London, (2013). Kurup was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical and Best Supporting Actress in a musical at the Whatsonstage.com Awards of 2013, for her role as Nicki Marron in The Bodyguardand as Best actress in a supporting role in a musical at the BroadwayWorld.comUK awards.

Kurup has also appeared in several theatre productions, including Chicago as Velma Kelly between January and April 2006 at the Adelphi Theatre, London and she reprised the same role in 2011 at the Cambridge Theatre. DeeDee in Ben Elton's musical Tonight's The Night at the Victoria Palace. Mimi in Rent UK Tour and in the West End at the Prince of Wales Theatre. Carmen in Fame (musical) for the UK tour and Consuela/Anita in West Side Story at the Prince of Wales Theatre. In September 2007 she starred in new musical I Love You Because at the Landor Theatre, Clapham, London as Diana Bingley, receiving critical acclaim. She also played the role of KT in Sister Act, at the London Palladium and was first understudy to leading role Deloris. Kurup appeared as a soloist in the Chess In Concert Company for two nights at the Royal Albert Hall.

Kurup features on the original London cast soundtracks of Tonight's The Night, Sister Act and Chess in Concert recorded live at The Royal Albert Hall.

Kurup and Jason Pennycooke have a daughter named Saffron. Both appeared in the BBC One and BBC Three series, He's Having A Baby.