Saffron Coomber
Born (1994-11-15) 15 November 1994
Greenwich, London, England
NationalityBritish
EducationBlackheath High School, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
OccupationActress
Years active2003–present

Saffron Marni Coomber (born 15 November 1994) is an English actress, best known for her role as Sapphire Fox in Tracy Beaker Returns from 2010 to 2012. She also portrayed Alexa Smith in EastEnders from 2012 to 2013. In 2023, she starred in the ITV drama Three Little Birds.

Early and personal life

Coomber was born on 15 November 1994 in Greenwich, London, to an English father and mother of Jamaican descent.[1] She attended Blackheath High School and Theatre Street Performing Arts.[2][3] She has a sister named Saskia, who is also an actress.[4] Coomber also trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.[5]

Career

Television

In 2003, Coomber provided the voice for the PlayStation 2 video game, EyeToy: Play. She began her acting career in 2008 when she starred in the television movie adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson's Dustbin Baby as Cathy. She also played Molly in three-part children's drama Runaway in 2009, as well as guest roles in The Bill and Doctors.

In 2010, Coomber began playing the role of Sapphire Fox in the CBBC children's television series Tracy Beaker Returns.[6] Sapphire was introduced as the care homes' eldest resident in the first series and was interested in art. Her character also often acted as a sister figure to many of the other residents. In the third series, Sapphire's storylines revolved around her moving out of The Dumping Ground and into her own flat, she made her final appearance in the last episode of Tracy Beaker Returns in 2012. She also appeared in the spin-off series, Tracy Beaker Survival Files. Coomber reprised her role of Sapphire in 2015 for the spin-off cooking series The Dumping Ground Dish Up.[7]

In 2012, Coomber appeared in an episode of Holby City as Lauren Earnshaw, before joining the cast of EastEnders as Alexa Smith, an old friend of Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold) who Lola named her daughter Lexi after. Alexa and Lola were in care together and Alexa initially appears to rekindle her friendship with Lola, however soon changes her mind as she believes Lola and her friend Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald) are stuck up, starting a fight with them, which Alexa records and results in Lola's daughter being taken away by social services, however she later returns to and gives Lola a place to stay when she runs away with her daughter.[8] In 2013, she played a Box Office Girl in Youngers. In 2014, Coomber played Rachel in the short film Electricity. In 2015, Coomber appeared in 3 episodes of Cuffs as Bethany Hawkins.

In 2020, Coomber made guest roles in the television series' Flack, Deceived, and Strike. In 2023, Coomber was announced to be starring as Chantrelle in the ITV drama Three Little Birds, a drama written by Lenny Henry based on his mother's arriving in Britain from Jamaica as part of the Windrush generation in 1957.[9]

Theatre

In 2019, Coomber starred as Emilia in the play of the same name, alongside Adelle Leonce and fellow EastEnders co-star Clare Perkins, who played older versions of the character.[10] Coomber's other stage credits include Sonnet Sunday and A New and Better You.[11]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
2003 EyeToy: Play Additional Voices Video game
2008 Dustbin Baby Cathy Television film
2009 Runaway Molly 3 episodes
The Bill Rebecca Evans Episode: "Down South"
Doctors Asha Bass Episode: "Guidance"
2010–2012 Tracy Beaker Returns Sapphire Fox Regular role
2011–2012 Tracy Beaker Survival Files Sapphire Fox Regular role
2012 Holby City Lauren Earnshaw Episode: "To Absent Friends"
2012–2013 EastEnders Alexa Smith Recurring role; 7 episodes
2013 Youngers Box Office Girl 1 episode
2014 Electricity Rachel Short film
2015 Mingmong Annalise Short film
Cuffs Bethany Hawkins 3 episodes
The Dumping Ground Dish Up Sapphire Fox Regular role
2019 At Any Time Lauren Short film
China Towns Janet
2020 Flack Steph 3 episodes
The Deceived Annabelle 2 episodes
Strike Flick Purdue 3 episodes
Small Axe Grace Episode: "Lovers Rock"
2023 Three Little Birds Chantrelle Main role

References

  1. ↑ "Saffron Coomber - Biographical Summaries of Notable People". Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  2. ↑ "Blackheath High School A Level Students Have Stars In Their Eyes". Girls' Day School Trust. 15 August 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  3. ↑ "About Us". Theatre Street Performing Arts. 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  4. ↑ "Saskia Coomber". Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  5. ↑ "Saffron Coomber - Wireless Theatre". 11 May 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  6. ↑ "Ask the Stars: Saffron Coomber". BBC. 6 January 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  7. ↑ "Q&A with Saffron Coomber (Sapphire Fox)". Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  8. ↑ "EastEnders: 02/10/2012". Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  9. ↑ "First look at Lenny Henry's ITV drama Three Little Birds".
  10. ↑ "Saffron Coomber, Clare Perkins and Adelle Leonce interview: 'Emilia is every woman's story — it's a shared experience'". 11 March 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  11. ↑ "Saffron Coomber". Retrieved 22 February 2021.
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