British actress Alison Steadman enjoys an extensive career in film, television, theatre and radio. She first came to the fore as Beverley in Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party and went on to play such roles as Mrs Marlow in The Singing Detective and Mrs Bennett in the highly acclaimed BBC adaptation of Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice, paving the way for a raft of iconic  television portrayals including; Betty Simpson in Fat Friends, Pam in Gavin and Stacey, Rose in The Syndicate, Pauline Paradise in Love and Marriage, Joyce in Boomers and Edith in Hold The Sunset, all of which have culminated in providing her with the status of national treasure.

Over the years Alison has also received much acclaim for her quirky and dazzling stage work, most notably in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, for which she won an Olivier Award, The Memory of Water, Joe Orton's Entertaining Mr. Sloane and The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband. 

Her film appearances include; The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, A Private Function, Coming Through, Clockwise, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, and Shirley Valentine, not to mention her former-husband, Mike Leigh's critically acclaimed Life Is Sweet, for which she won the National Society of Film Critics Award, Secrets & Lies, Topsy-Turvy, Shirley Valentine, The Housewife, Burn Burn Burn, Dad’s Army, We Can Be Heroes and Kingsman: The Great Game. 

Among her many accolades and honours, Alison was awarded an OBE for services to British Drama in 2000.

 Alison’s full and varied career makes her an excellent after dinner speaker and with her versatility and experience on stage and screen she would be a fantastic host to any awards ceremony.