Cleo Sylvestre MBE

Cleo Sylvestre grew up in Camden, London.

Her acting career included a number of small parts in shows in the 1960s, including her appearance in The Crusade, before coming to fame in Crossroads as Melanie Richardson in 1970. She later had a regular role in Grange Hill.

In the theatre her West End debut was in Wise Child in 1967 at the Wyndham Theatre, and shortly became the first black woman to have leading role in a National Theatre, appearing in the Peter Nichols satire The National Health in 1969.

Other work included a number of Ken Loach projects, including his first film Poor Cow as well as his acclaimed projects Cathy Come Home and Up the Junction.