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Harwich, Dovercourt: Ex-Sooty girl’s new challenge

From the archive, first published Thursday 13th Dec 2007.

Having hit our TV screens working with Sooty and Sweep, a Harwich woman is now turning her hand to putting a Dovercourt hall on the entertainment map.

Liana Bridges, 37, has been appointed as the historic Kingsway Hall's new artistic director and has ambitious plans to create a venue which will rival anything in north Essex.

A former pupil of Harwich School and Colchester College, Liana then won a place at the esteemed Mountview Stage School where her companions included Amanda Holden.

After working as a jobbing actress, she presented Sooty and Co before semi-retiring to raise her two boys in her home town.

She said: "Why should people have to travel to Clacton, Colchester or even further afield to see major shows when we have a great venue on our doorstep."