Amanda Louise Holden (born 16 February 1971) is an English actress, singer and presenter, best known as a judge on ITV's Britain's Got Talent since the show began in 2007.

Holden played the role of Sarah Trevanion in Wild at Heart (2006–2008) and the title role in Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award. More recently she has presented various television shows for ITV including Superstar (2012), This Morning (2014–2015) and Give a Pet a Home (2015).

Biography

Although born in Portsmouth, Holden spent much of her childhood in Bishop's Waltham. She married comedian Les Dennis in June 1995. They had a temporary split in 2000 when Holden's affair with actor Neil Morrissey was exposed in the press, before eventually separating in December 2002 and divorcing in 2003. Around this time, she alleges that she was sexually assaulted by an unnamed "famous comedian" at a public event.

On 20 January 2006, Holden gave birth to her first child with fiancé record producer Chris Hughes. She married Hughes at Babington House, Somerset, on 10 December 2008 with former Formula One racing driver David Coulthard acting as best man. After a miscarriage in 2010, she suffered their son being stillborn at seven months in 2011. On 23 January 2012 she gave birth to their second daughter despite medical complications.

Holden campaigned to keep a Sainsbury's supermarket out of Bishop's Waltham. Residents of her hometown later accused her of a double standard in November 2010 when she signed a deal with Tesco, the UK's largest supermarket chain.


Charity
Holden fronted Everton's breast cancer awareness campaign, sporting a limited edition baby pink club shirt, the colour of breast cancer awareness. In September 2011, Holden was sponsored to bake a cake for every child in the Great Ormond Street Hospital.

On 13 April 2008, Holden ran the London Marathon in 4 hours and 13 minutes, in the name of the Born Free Foundation, having collected public and celebrity sponsors online.

In 2013, she became a celebrity ambassador for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, following her work with Pedigree's 'Buy One, Feed One' campaign that she, along with Paul O'Grady have been supporting together. O'Grady is also an ambassador for Battersea.