Abigail Cruttenden, best known for playing moody Kate Weedon on ITV's Benidorm, has a family life that includes a famous EastEnders brother and a former marriage to actor Sean Bean.
Abigail joined the ITV sitcom, which follows British holidaymakers at an all-inclusive resort in Benidorm, in its first series back in 2007. The show featured an ensemble cast including Johnny Vegas (Geoff Maltby), Jake Canuso (Mateo), and Steve Pemberton (Mick Garvey).
She played an unhappily married Kate who arrived at the Sola resort with husband Martin, played by Nicholas Burns.
TV roles and film appearances
Besides Benidorm, Abigail has appeared in several other TV shows. She played Jane Gibbons in ITV's Sharpe in 1996 and has starred in Casualty and Midsomer Murders.
She also had a role in the award-winning film The Theory of Everything in 2014, which followed the life of Stephen Hawking, played by Eddie Redmayne. That same year, she joined the cast of Lee Mack's sitcom Not Going Out, playing Anna until 2023.
Her famous brother Hal
Abigail's brother Hal is also well known, having appeared on stand-up shows such as Live at the Apollo, Have I Got News For You and The Royal Variety Performance.
Hal also appeared in EastEnders in the 90s and recently played Winston Churchill in the film The Man with the Plan. His other TV appearances include The Weakest Link Celebrity Special, Celebrity Mastermind, Celebrity Chase and Celebrity Tipping Point.
Talking about his sister, Hal previously told The Latest: “I should have changed it [his last name] when I went into comedy but I was hoping the fact that my sister, Abigail Cruttenden, was quite a well-known actress might get me more attention. It didn’t. She’s blonde and beautiful and people never thought we were related.”
Marriage to Sean Bean
Abigail was once married to actor Sean Bean, known for his roles in The Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones and the James Bond series. The pair met while working together on ITV's Sharpe in 1996, where she played Jane Gibbons, the on-screen wife of Sean's character Richard Sharpe.
Speaking about Sean at the time, Abigail previously said: “When I told people I was going to be working with Sean, they said: 'My God, you're so lucky.'” As reported by Free Library, she added: “He has such a huge appeal to women. And I think he is lovely - a very attractive bloke.”
They eventually began dating and tied the knot in 1997. Twelve months later, they welcomed their daughter, Evie. “I was there when Evie was born. It was a very moving experience, stunning,” Sean previously revealed.
Abigail and Sean divorced in 2000. In 2003, Abigail wed Jonathan R. Fraser and they share a daughter. Benidorm is available to watch on ITVX.
