Martine McCutcheon which depicts a less than favourable account of the producer.
Pop career
Martine performing on CDUK
In 1999 McCutcheon unleashed herself as a new solo pop-artist with Virgin Records, surprising critics and doubters alike by scoring a number 1 in the UK Singles Chart with the ballad Perfect Moment (originally recorded by Edyta Górniak in 1997). The song was a global success reaching number 1 not only in the UK, but in Israel, Italy, Switzerland & Ireland too. That same year she scored two more top 10 hits, reaching number 6 with the singles I've Got You and later Talking in Your Sleep, which featured the AA Side Love Me, an album track that was re-recorded for the Children in Need appeal with all proceeds being donated to that cause. All three singles were taken from her debut album You, Me and Us, which peaked at number 2 in the British Album charts and was certified as double platinum.
In 2000 McCutcheon released her second album Wishing, which was less successful, charting at number 25 in the UK album charts. The album spawned two singles - the number 2 hit I'm Over You and her follow up song On The Radio, which was famously used as the theme tune for Hibernian striker Amadou Konte. Despite only peaking at #25 the album still managed to sell around 250,000 copies. McCutcheon released her third album Musicality, a Broadway influenced cover album, in 2002. It reached number 55 in the albums charts, however her pop career stalled when due to poor sales her contract was cancelled.
McCutcheon is reportedly in the process of recording a new album, to be released independently in 2007.
Film, stage, television appearances and other work
McCutcheon went on to play Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady in London's West End. Despite being plagued by health problems during her run, she won the award for best actress in a musical at the 2002 Laurence Olivier Awards.
In 2002, McCutcheon presented the National music awards for ITV1.
Martine as Natalie in the 2003 film Love Actually
In 2003 McCutcheon featured in her first major film role. She appeared as tea-lady Natalie in the Richard Curtis romantic comedy Love Actually, where the British Prime Minister (played by Hugh Grant) falls in love with McCutcheon's character. The film received good reviews and was a box office smash. McCutcheon headed off to America in the wake of the film's success, but a Hollywood career failed to materialise. She did however, win Best Trans-atlantic breakthrough at the 2004 MTV Movie Awards.
In 2004 Martine, along with many global stars, featured in a promotional film for London's successful bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
In 2004, Martine McCutcheon: Behind the Scenes - A Personal Diary, a book published by Harper Collins was released.
In September 2005 she appeared in two episodes of hit BBC drama series Spooks, playing a waitress who witnesses a terrorist bombing. In December of the same year, she took part in the Christmas Day edition of ITV's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? with Louis Walsh as well as appearing on the Christmas Eve edition of Parkinson (also on ITV1).
In December 2005, McCutcheon released the Martine McCutcheon: Dance body workout, a fitness DVD and presented and performed on the entertainment programme Moviemusic Mania for ITV1.
One of her latest projects was screened on the UK television station ITV1 in December 2005. In The English Harem she played a woman in love with a Muslim man (Art Malik), who marries him despite knowing he already has two wives.
In August 2006, the supermarket chain, Tesco, announced that they would be using McCutcheon in a series of adverts to promote a new green scheme for recycling used plastic carrier bags. She is also the new face of the washing powder brand, Lenor.
In 2007, McCutcheon will be seen in two independent films Withdrawal opposite Patrick Swayze and Jump! and an episode of Marple.
In January 2007, Martine was a judge in the second series of ITV1's Soapstar Superstar. Her appearance on the show drew criticism, with reports alleging that she was becoming a hate figure for the contestants who are said to have found her comments relentlessly critical and at times patronising.[6]
McCutcheon has recently been seen performing in an Art Plus fundraising event at the Whitechapel Art Gallery opposite Natalie Press, Samantha Morton and Rhys Ifans.
Personal life
McCutcheon's turbulent love life has been widely documented in the British media.
McCutcheon was engaged to DJ Gareth Cooke, but broke off the relationship in 1996 and he then sold salacious stories of their sex life to the press.[7]
Following this McCutcheon thought she'd found happiness with a friend and lover, Jonathan Barnham, but that relationship soured with a reported miscarriage and the revelation that Barnham had attended sex parties behind her back. McCutcheon also had to stump up £75,000 in bail money for him, when he and his father were charged with importing cannabis into the UK.[8] McCutcheon ended the relationship in 2001 after allegedly discovering a string of his affairs and withdrew the bail surety.[9]
In 2001 McCutcheon started dating actor Steve John Shepherd, who played her brother in TV drama The Knock. McCutcheon ended their seven-month relationship when she became fed-up of reading about how he was cheating on her in the press.[8]
McCutcheon then settled down with property developer James Tanner. The couple dated for over a year but had to shrug off speculation about Tanner's link with the TV presenter Sophie McDonnell. The couple eventually split in 2004, allegedly for career reasons.[7]
Among the other men McCutcheon's been romantically linked with are EastEnders co-star Paul Nicholls, snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan, and Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall.[10]
Paparazzi
McCutcheon, like many celebrities, has had her run-ins with the paparazzi. In late 2000 she was photographed topless while swimming in a private pool along with her boyfriend. When she realized the paparazzi were watching she continued to swim nude, even stopping to smile at the camera several times. The smiling turned to posing and the violation of her privacy became an impromptu magazine spread, earning McCutcheon several thousand pounds from British taboid The Sun. This remains the only time McCutcheon has appeared nude on camera.
