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Freema Agyeman's Biography

 
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Freema Agyeman, who is an actress who played Martha in Doctor Who, studied Performing Arts and Drama at Middlesex University and according to Planet Crossroads Freema went to Radford University in the USA, and also became a member of the Islington Arts Factory.

Freema Agyeman's father came to Britain from Ghana in the 1960s and her mother came from Iran in the 1970s. She was born in London in March 1979 and grew up in a flat on the Woodberry Down estate near Manor House in London.

In July 2006, the BBC announced that Freema Agyeman would play Martha Jones, the new companion to Doctor Who played by David Tennant.

Her role as Doctor Who's assistant started from 31 March 2007.

Freema Agyeman had been in Doctor Who before, playing Adeola in episode 12 of series 2 of the modern Doctor Who. She impressed executive producer/writer Russell T Davies enough for him to organise an audition with Tennant and then to hire her for the new role.

Initially, when she was auditioning, Freema Agyeman was told the part was for Torchwood.

Freema Agyeman, who was 27 at the time of her appointment, has previously acted in The Bill, Silent Witness and Casualty. She also played kitchen assistant Lola Wise in Crossroads in 2003.

On the BBC's Doctor Who website, David Tennant said: "Freema was a joy to work with in episode 12 of the current series. She is not only very talented and very beautiful, she's great fun and I'm delighted she's coming on board the TARDIS full time."

Agyeman's predecessor as Doctor Who's assistant was Bille Piper.

Freema Agyeman told the BBC News website:

"I got messages from Billie [Piper] and Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith). I'm companion number 32 or 33 so it's nice to hear former companions say 'just do it your way' - it means the world to me."

In July 2007, the BBC announced that Freema Agyeman would play the Doctor's companion Martha starting in the middle of the series due to run from Spring 2008, whereas Catherine Tate would play Doctor Who's new companion for the whole of the series.

The BBC also announced that Freema Agyeman would play Martha in three episodes of Torchwood.

In 2008 Freema Agyeman was cast as Tattycoram in BBC's Little Dorrit.

Other credits included headlining in a new BBC One drama, Survivors, and starring as Crown Prosecutor Alesha Phillips in a long-running role on Law & Order: UK.

In 2023, she played Trish appearing alongside Lily Allen as Mel in the Sky comedy drama Dreamlands.



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