Ali Bastian (born Alexandra Louise Bastian; 27 February 1982) is an English television actress, best known for playing Becca Dean in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2001 to 2007, and PC Sally Armstrong in long-running ITV drama series The Bill from 2007 to 2009.

Biography

Born in Windsor, Berkshire, to Paula C. Marriott and Nicholas P. Bastian. Bastian has one younger brother, Nicholas Ruel Bastian (born 1986). Bastian was raised in Cookham and Maidenhead in Berkshire, and Marlow in Buckinghamshire.

She attended the Redroofs Theatre School at Maidenhead, and started professional acting with a role in Jane Eyre aged 10. She went to school at Claires Court, the College. (Maidenhead)

Hollyoaks

Bastian joined the Channel4 soap in 2001. She was involved in a controversial storyline in Hollyoaks where her character was fired from her teaching job and sent to prison after having an affair with one of her students – Justin Burton played by Chris Fountain. At the 2006 British Soap Awards Bastian and Chris Fountain won the award for best storyline. She departed the show in 2007.

In December 2005, alongside her Hollyoaks cast mates Jodi Albert and Sarah Jayne Dunn, Bastian appeared in an exercise video called Hollyoaks Get Fit.

Other work

Bastian has also appeared on television in Jane Eyre, Cavegirl, A Touch of Frost, Twenty Four 7, and Here After.

Bastian joined ITV1 police drama The Bill as PC Sally Armstrong in summer 2007. and departed in late 2009,

She was a contestant, departing in the semi-final on Strictly Come Dancing 2009, where she was partnered with Brian Fortuna. In week 11 Bastian severely bruised the bones of her foot while training. Doctors later gave her the all clear to go ahead and perform. There was doubt about her fitness to perform in the shows semi final. After successfully performing, Ali and Brian were eliminated, finishing in third place out of sixteen couples. Ali holds the record for the American Smooth and the Viennese Waltz, she received a perfect score for both of these dances. The pair danced again in the Strictly Come Dancing 2009 Christmas Special, and won having again scored 40/40 for their Viennese Waltz.

Personal life

Bastian dated Hollyoaks co-star and on screen husband Kevin Sacre. During their two year relationship, the couple appeared in a celebrity couples edition of the quiz show The Weakest Link. The couple broke up in early 2006. She then dated long term friend and rugby union player Nick Kennedy, who plays for London Irish. She is currently in a relationship with her Strictly Come Dancing partner, Brian Fortuna. She is currently performing alongside Brian in a hit West End musical, Burn The Floor, which opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London, on the 21st July 2010 and runs through the summer.

Filmography

• 1992:Jane Eyre(BBC)- Young Jane
• 1997: FairyTale: A True Story – Fairy
• 1998: Next Birthday - Monica
• 1999: A Touch of Frost – Lisa Harper
• 2001–2007: Hollyoaks – Becca Dean
• 2002: Come Together – Tara
• 2007–2009: The Bill – PC Sally Armstrong

Stage Work

• Paddington Bear- Novello Theatre
• The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe- Novello Theatre
• Once Upon A Time- Novello Theatre
• Burn The Floor- Shaftesbury Theatre

External links

• Ali Bastian at the Internet Movie Database