Martine McCutcheon has opened up about her childhood, revealing that her father once threatened to drop her over a balcony while under the influence of drink and drugs. The actress, who turns 50 this year, described her parents' relationship as a 'dysfunctional, obsessive love' marred by domestic abuse.
Speaking about her mother, McCutcheon said they are best friends as well as mother and daughter. 'She is warm and loving, but also really tough,' she said. 'She is the most non-judgmental person I have ever known.' The star credited her mother with creating a sense of community in their ethnically diverse east London neighbourhood.
McCutcheon began her career at age 13, performing with Barbara Windsor in the children's TV series Bluebirds. She later signed with Polydor Records at 14. 'I wanted to be a star,' she said. 'I had an inbuilt desire to succeed.'
The actress married musician Jack McManus in 2012, describing him as a 'very gentle person' who made her feel 'like I was walking on air'. She said she became better at choosing a suitable partner as she got older.
McCutcheon also spoke about her struggles with fertility, revealing she miscarried several times due to ME and Lyme disease before giving birth to her son Rafferty in her late 30s. 'He is a miracle,' she said. 'Motherhood has made me so much more content.'
