Amanda Burton
Amanda Burton
Amanda Burtonis a Northern Irish actress, active from 1981. During her career, Burton was best known for her television roles as Heather Black in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, Beth Glover in Peak Practice, Sam Ryan in the BBC crime drama series Silent Witness, Clare Blake in The Commander and Karen Fisher in Waterloo Road...
NationalityIrish
ProfessionTV Actress
Date of Birth10 October 1956
CountryIreland
thinking people locks
I like to think I'm a listener, and I'm fascinated by observing people - I suppose you just lock that in.
thinking ducks people
I think some people think that being on television makes you a sitting duck, but you have the right to remain private.
reality thinking magazines
I could suddenly see the pressures all around; these endless magazines and cheap reality TV programmes poking at women, humiliating us for every flaw. It makes me so angry. I really wonder what it is we are doing to ourselves, because I do think women can be the worst ones for picking each other apart.
thinking pieces emotion
I think you know what you're up against when you take on a piece that you know is going to involve dragging up a lot emotions - you can end up being deeply immersed in gloom.
difficult few rest roles women
I think this is a very difficult job, especially for women - there are too few roles around. I never let myself rest on my laurels.
years looks use
I'm becoming more squeamish. I didn't use to be - nine years of 'Silent Witness' prepared me for most things one will have the misfortune to see in life. Before, I'd be wading up to my neck in gore, but now I tend to look away.
running building-up focus
Running gave me a focus to start looking after myself, to eat properly, and focus on building up my strength.
actresses wanted
No, I always wanted to be an actress.
people age obsessed
It always interests me how obsessed people are about age.
running fields want
If I want to run around a field when I'm 70, I would like to have that option.
drama school cutting
I'd been gearing up to working in theatre since coming out of drama school, but it was an exciting time for TV drama - it was the birth of Channel 4, and Brookside was very cutting-edge at the time.
changed exactly
I would never have changed anything in the past. I have been acting for 32 years now and I feel so lucky to be able to have done exactly what I wanted to do.
concept department dramatic forgotten found intriguing led piece power presented
Forgotten was presented to me by the drama department at LWT as a concept and I found it immediately intriguing and very powerful. I was completely led by the power of the piece and its dramatic potential.
daughters desk education four head physical primary school secondary sitting taught until youngest
I was taught by my father. He was head of the primary school so I went to his school until I was 11 - I was the youngest of four daughters and we had all been taught by him. But I didn't really enjoy my secondary education that much, probably because I am a very physical person and don't enjoy sitting at a desk all day.