Lolita Chakrabarti

Notable for her role as Surinder in the British television series Fortysomething, Chakrabarti also had a successful career as a stage actress, appearing in productions at London's Tricycle, Almeida, and Royal Court theatres. Also a writer, she received an Olivier Award nomination and numerous other honors for her 2012 play Red Velvet.

She trained at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and shortly thereafter played W.P.C. Jamilla Blake on the popular television series The Bill.

A member of a Bengali family, she spent her childhood in Kingston upon Hull and Birmingham, England. Her marriage to fellow performer Adrian Lester produced two children.

During the 1990s, she hosted a children's television program called Numbertime. Actor Brian Miller also played a key role in the series.