Amanda Holden – Carmen from EastEnders

As you can tell for the lack of a last name, Amanda Holden’s character in EastEnders wasn’t a pivotal one. Still, it’s important not to forget that Holden got her show business start in the British soap, appearing as the relatively forgettable Carmen in a mere five episodes.

While Holden’s soap opera resumé is atypically short, she was able to turn that first acting role into a very successful show business career. These days, she’s best known for being one of the judges of Britain’s Got Talent, a job she’ll be going back to in 2022 when the game show’s 15th season is set to air.