Gemma Oaten
Oaten was born on 8 May 1984 in Kingston upon Hull, England, to Marg and Dennis Oaten. She developed anorexia at the age of 10 and endured a thirteen-year-long battle with the illness, which left her close to death on several occasions. She studied acting and graduated from the Drama Studio London. Oaten is a patron and charity manager of the eating disorder charity Seed, and in 2022, she launched her own recovery programme. In April 2022, she was diagnosed with milk-alkali syndrome. Oaten made her acting debut in January 2011 when she appeared in two episodes of the BBC soap opera "Doctors" as Sam Doyle. Six months later, she was cast as Rachel Breckle in the ITV soap opera "Emmerdale". Oaten decided to leave the soap in October 2013 and made her on-screen exit in January 2014. She returned to the soap in January 2015 and departed once again in August. The character was later killed off in 2019, ruling out a return for Oaten. For her role as Rachel, Oaten received nominations in the Newcomer categories at the "TV Quick" Awards and British Soap Awards. In April 2015, she played Stacey Bayton in an episode of the BBC medical drama series "Casualty". Between 2017 and 2018, she joined the cast of "Holby City" and played the role of Sydney Somers in four episodes. In 2021, Oaten portrayed Isla Haywood in two episodes of the ITV soap opera "Coronation Street". Outside of acting, Oaten has appeared on "Celebrity Antiques Road Trip", and several daytime television shows such as "This Morning" and "Lorraine" where she has openly discussed her experiences with anorexia.
Early and personal life
Gemma Oaten (born 8 May 1984) is an English actress.