Gemma Merna Biography

Gemma Anna Merna (born 6 February 1984) is an English actress, model and yoga teacher. She is best known for portraying the role of Carmel Valentine in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks from 2006 to 2014.

Career

Merna joined the cast of the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks in August 2006. In 2007, she won Best Comedy Performance in 2007 at the British Soap Awards. At the 2007 National Television Awards, she was nominated for "Best Female Soap Actress". .

In 2008,Merna appeared on the game show All Star Family Fortunes in a Hollyoaks V. Emmerdale special. In February 2013, she appeared on All Star Family Fortunes playing against gardener, garden designer and television personality Diarmuid Gavin.

In 2009, Merna appeared in the spin-off show Hollyoaks Later as Carmel. She also appeared in an episode of the game show Hole in the Wall.

In 2011, she appeared in the documentaries 50 Greatest Wedding Shockers and Hollyoaks Best Bits.

In 2013 and 2014, Merna appeared as a panelist in an episode of Big Brother's Bit On The Side.

In January 2014, she was a contestant on the ITV diving show Splash!, fronted by Tom Daley, she was the first contestant to be eliminated from the show in Heat One.

On 24 August 2014, it was announced that Merna had decided to leave Hollyoaks and would leave in November 2014 in one of Hollyoaks' biggest stunts. Jennifer Metcalfe - who plays Merna's on-screen sister Mercedes McQueen - announced her decision to leave the soap opera a few days after Merna's announcement. Carmel was killed-off in an explosive train accident on 12 November 2014, with cast members and television critics praising Merna's performance in her final scenes. Metcalfe later returned to the soap a few months later - it had been revealed that she had in fact gone for a break.

On 8 September 2014, Merna appeared on the panel show Virtually Famous, presented by Glee actor Kevin McHale.

On 25 October 2014, Merna appeared on a special celebrity episode of the The Chase.

Personal life

Merna was born in Manchester and grew up in Worsley where she attended St. George's RC High School, Walkden.

She was engaged to long-term boyfriend Ian Minton. Merna and Minton married at a ceremony on 27 May 2012; present were fellow Hollyoaks cast members.

Merna formerly shared a house in Liverpool with on-screen Hollyoaks sister Jennifer Metcalfe, who plays Mercedes McQueen.

On Sky Sports, Merna revealed that she is a supporter of both Manchester United F.C. and Liverpool F.C..

In a 2009 interview with Closer magazine, Merna said that having a breast enlargement at the age of twenty-one was one of the best things she ever did and that it gave her so much confidence.

Filmography

Year	Title	Type	Role	Notes
2006-2014	Hollyoaks	TV	Carmel Valentine	Regular role
2009-2010	Hollyoaks Later	TV	Carmel Valentine	5 episodes
2009	Hole in the Wall	TV	Herself	1 Episode
2011	50 Greatest Wedding Shockers	TV	Herself	TV Documentary
2011	Hollyoaks Best Bits 2011	TV	Herself	TV Documentary
2008, 2013	All Star Family Fortunes	TV	Herself	2 Episodes
2013, 2014	Big Brother's Bit On The Side	TV	Herself	2 Episodes, Guest
2014	Splash!	TV	Herself	Heat 1, Contestant
2014	Virtually Famous	TV	Herself	1 Episode, Panelist
2014	The Chase Celebrity Special	TV	Herself	1 Episode, Participant
2014	Daily Brunch with Ocado	TV	Herself	1 Episode, Guest