Melanie Walters

Melanie Walters (born 30 January 1962)^[1][2] is a Welsh actress who has worked frequently in television. She is best known for playing Gwen West in the BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey and Emma, a vampire in the third series of Being Human.

Melanie Walters
Born	(1962-01-30) 30 January 1962 (age 63) Swansea, Wales
Nationality	Welsh
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1986–present
Notable work	Gavin & Stacey Hollyoaks
Children	1

Early life

Walters was born on 30 January 1962 and raised in the Mumbles, near Swansea.^[3] Her father died when she was very young, leaving her mother to raise four children under four years old.^[2] In 1973, aged 11, she took over her brother's paper round, covering Mumbles Head every day, an experience she described at length on BBC Radio 4 in January 2012. When she was 14 she qualified as a lifeguard, working on the local beaches.^[2]

Career

Walters has worked frequently in television, but is best known for playing Gwen West in the BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey between 2007 and 2010, before returning for Christmas special episode in 2019 and for one final Christmas special episode in 2024.^[4] She was one of eight celebrities chosen to participate in an intense week learning Welsh in an eco-friendly chic campsite in Pembrokeshire in the series cariad@iaith:love4language shown on S4C in July 2011, and emerged winner of the series.^[5] Walters made a guest appearance in Casualty as Carrie on 3 February 2018.

In December 2011 she appeared in the pantomime Cinderella at the Riverfront Arts Centre in Newport.^[6]

In July 2020, it was announced that she would be taking on a lead character in the feature film Faulty Roots, directed by Ella Greenwood.^[7]

Filmography

Film

• Tan ar y Comin (1995) – Mrs. Evans
• Submarine (2010) – Judie Bevan
• Resistance (2011) – Helen Roberts
• High Tide (2014) – Bethan
• Burn Burn Burn (2015) – Shelle
• Say My Name (2018) – Aurelie Strohfeldt
• La Cha Cha (2021) – Iris
• Save the Cinema (2022) – Mrs. Pritchard

Television

• The District Nurse – Milwen Parry (1987)
• Ballroom – Ann (1989)
• We are Seven – Helen Powell (1989–1991)
• Coronation Street – Valerie Jennings (1991)
• Telltale – Jean Herbert (1993)
• Christmas Reunion – Mrs Evans (1994)
• The Healer – Gill Major (1994)
• The Bill – Ellen Reynolds (1995)
• Dangerfield – Beverley Groves (1996)
• Backup – Sally Vaughan (1997)
• A Mind to Kill – Ruth Barra (1997)
• Jack of Hearts – Silvie (1999)
• Casualty – Bev Lewis (1999)
• Dirty Work – Megan (2000)
• Belonging – Delyth (2000–2001)
• Holby City – Melanie Hooper (2002)
• Stopping Distance – Lisa's mother (2003)
• Gavin & Stacey – Gwen West (2007–2010, 2019, 2024)
• Hollyoaks – Bonnie Bevan (2007–2009)
• Being Human – Emma (2011)
• Stella – Sonographer (2013), Series 2 Episode 2
• Under Milk Wood – "A Neighbour" (2014)
• Doc Martin – Heather Merchant (2015)
• Casualty – Carrie Gillespie (2018)
• Pitching In – Kitty (2019)
• The Snow Spider – (2020)
• Biff & Chip – Gran (2021–2022)
• Father Brown – Dotty Finglesham (2024)
• Death Valley – Yvonne (2025)

Theatre

• Blue Remembered Hills – Angela (1998)
• Cinderella – Fairy Godmother (2014–2015)
• Beauty and the Beast – The Fairy (2024)

Personal life

Walters lives with her son in the Mumbles, Swansea, where she also runs a business teaching Pilates.^[2]