Harriet Thorpe

Harriet Thorpe is an English actress born 27th March 1957, Surrey, England.

She came to prominence in the mid-to-late 1990s in the British television sitcom The Brittas Empire, playing Carole Parkinson, the receptionist who permanently kept her children with her, in drawers under her desk and would sometimes be seen feeding them or washing their clothes. She was also prone to depression and fits of extreme emotion.

Harriet also played Fleur in Absolutely Fabulous, an eccentric and somewhat odd work-colleague who spoke in a very precise fashion. She has also appeared in BBC2's Alexei Sayle's Stuff, ITV's Crossroads and Midsomer Murders, among other TV parts. She has done numerous stagework, often playing extreme roles.

Thorpe has also appeared in a number of films mainly in minor roles, most famously in the Calendar Girls as the rather patronising and superior head of the Women's Institute.

Thorpe began a run in the stage show Cabaret as Fraulein Kost at the Lyric Theatre in London on 22 September 2006.

Her sister, Matilda Thorpe, is also an actress.

It was announced on February 19, 2008 that Thorpe will take over the role of Madame Morrible from Susie Blake in the London production of Wicked. She began her run on April 14, 2008.

She is set to appear on the first episode of ITV London chat show Suggs in the city on Thursday 29th May, 2008. She will be appearing alongside Ken Livingstone and Rowland Rivron chatting to Suggs about Wicked and her impressive career.