{{Short description|Australian actress (born 1969)}} {{EngvarB|date=October 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Emily Symons | image = Emily Symons (crop).jpg | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1969|8|10}} | caption = Symons at the Myer Fashion Parade | birth_place = [[Sydney]], [[New South Wales]], Australia | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1988–present | notable_works = {{Plainlist| * ''[[Richmond Hill (TV series)|Richmond Hill]]'' * ''[[Home and Away]]'' * ''[[Emmerdale]]'' }} | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{Marriage|Nick Lipscombe|1992|1994|end=divorced}} * {{Marriage|Lorenzo Smith|2003|2005|end=divorced}} }} | children = 1 }}
'''Emily Symons''' (born 10 August 1969) is an Australian actress, active on both Australian and British television. She is known for playing Anne Costello in the short-lived soap opera ''[[Richmond Hill (TV series)|Richmond Hill]]'' in 1988 and when that series ended in 1989, she played [[Marilyn Chambers (Home and Away)|Marilyn Chambers]] in ''[[Home and Away]]''. After almost ten years in that role, Symons moved to the UK and was immediately cast as [[Louise Appleton]] in the British soap ''[[Emmerdale]]''. She also took part in the British show ''[[Dancing on Ice]]'' in 2007. She then returned to Australia in 2010 to reprise her role as Marilyn in ''Home and Away''.
==Life and career== {{BLP sources section|date=June 2022}} Symons's mother remarried when she was just four years old and Symons did not see her biological, English father<ref>{{cite web|url=http://shewolf.notnet.co.uk/interv/emilysymons/louisetm.html|title=Interview on Notnet.co.uk|access-date=9 October 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701150201/http://shewolf.notnet.co.uk/interv/emilysymons/louisetm.html|archive-date=1 July 2007}}</ref> again until ten years later. She left school before finishing her exams and launched herself into the acting world. For nearly a year, she worked in shops before getting a break in a post office training video.
Her first major television role was in Australian soap opera ''[[Richmond Hill (TV series)|Richmond Hill]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Mercado|first=Andrew|title=Super Aussie Soaps|year=2004|publisher=[[Pluto Press Australia]]|isbn=978-1-86403-191-1|page=275}}</ref> After ''Richmond Hill'', Symons auditioned for another Australian drama, ''[[Home and Away]]'', for which she won the role of [[Marilyn Chambers (Home and Away)|Marilyn Chambers]] whom she played from 1989 until 1992, reprising the role in 1995 until 1999—with a brief appearance in 2001. She also co-hosted the [[Seven Network|Channel 7]] music programme ''[[Video Smash Hits]]'' with Michael Horrocks from 1990 until 1991.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Brown|first=David|date=25 January 1992|title=Kym's rockin' role|magazine=[[TV Week]]|page=3}}</ref>
After starring in a string of pantomimes in England, Symons decided to move there. She played the role of barmaid [[Louise Appleton]] in the [[ITV1]] soap opera ''[[Emmerdale]]'' from 2001 to 2008. She earned a nomination for Most Popular Newcomer at the [[8th National Television Awards]].<ref name="NTA">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/2329203.stm|title=National TV awards: 2002 shortlist|date=15 October 2002|publisher=[[BBC News]]|access-date=19 October 2025}}</ref> She was also a contestant in the 2007 series of ''[[Dancing on Ice]]'', but was voted out in the semi-final following a skate-off against [[Duncan James]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/the-5minute-interview-emily-symons-actress-765900.html|title=The 5-minute Interview: Emily Symons, Actress|last=Goode|first=Mark|date=19 December 2007|work=[[The Independent]]|access-date=19 October 2025}}</ref>
Symons returned to Australia in October 2008 to help take care of her mother who had cancer. In late 2009, Symons was approached about a return to ''Home and Away'' as Marilyn, which she accepted. She reprised the role in episode 5035 which aired on 19 March 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/emily-symons-returns-to-home-and-away/story-e6frewz0-1225842535339|title=Emily Symons returns to Home And Away|last=Christie|first=Joel|last2=Harris|first2=Amy|date=19 March 2010|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=19 October 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120926190747/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/emily-symons-returns-to-home-and-away/story-e6frewz0-1225842535339|url-status=live|archive-date=26 September 2012}}</ref> Symons celebrated 30 years with the show in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/home-and-away/a27540394/home-and-away-emily-symons-celebrates-30-years-soap/|title=Home and Away star Emily Symons celebrates 30 years with the soap|last=Warner|first=Sam|date=21 May 2019|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]|access-date=19 October 2025}}</ref> In 2023, she received a nomination for the [[Logie Award for Most Popular Actress]] for her portrayal of Marilyn.<ref name="Harmsworth">{{cite news|url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/entertainment/tv/logies-2023-home-and-aways-emily-symons-on-being-a-single-mum-and-escaping-uk-soap-fame--c-11166798|title=Logies 2023: Home and Away’s Emily Symons on being a single mum and escaping UK soap fame|last=Harmsworth|first=Andrei|date=24 July 2023|work=[[The West Australian]]|access-date=19 October 2025}}</ref>
==Personal life== Symons was engaged to television technician Craig Simpson, but the relationship ended shortly before she left Australia for the UK in late 1990.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Shelley|first=Garry|date=11 July 1992|title='I fell head over heels in love!'|magazine=[[TV Week]]|page=8–9}}</ref> While she was in the UK, Symons met graphic designer and drummer Nick Lipscombe while they both worked in the pantomime ''Follow The Star''.<ref name="WeddingBelle">{{cite magazine|last=Brown|first=David|date=5 December 1992|title=Wedding belle Emily|magazine=[[TV Week]]|page=13}}</ref> Symons and Lipscombe married in November 1992.<ref name="WeddingBelle"/> They separated in 1994 and Symons returned to Australia in June of that year. They divorced shortly after.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Stanley|first=Di|date=15 April 1995|title=Emily's secret bust up|magazine=[[TV Week]]|pages=2–3}}</ref>
Symons was married to Lorenzo Smith, a son of [[William Smith, 4th Viscount Hambleden|Viscount Hambleden]] and descendant of English stationery tycoon [[Henry Walton Smith|W. H. Smith]], for two years, from 2003 to 2005. Symons said in an interview that her need for children and the resultant cycles of [[IVF]] eventually "killed" the marriage.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sunday Mirror article |website=[[Daily Mirror]] |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sunday-mirror/2007/02/25/ivf-killed-my-marriage-says-skate-star-98487-18672762/ |url-status=dead |access-date=9 October 2017 |archive-date=7 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807063600/https://www.mirror.co.uk/2007/02/25/ivf-killed-my-marriage-says-skate-star-98487-18672762/?service=responsive }}</ref>
She was engaged to footballer [[Matt Le Tissier]].<ref>{{cite web |date=4 February 2007 |title=EXCLUSIVE: ICE EMILY'S LOVE SPLIT |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/exclusive-ice-emilys-love-split-1631807 |access-date=25 June 2023 |website=Sunday Mirror}}</ref> She dated her ''Emmerdale'' co-star Matt Healy, who played [[Matthew King (Emmerdale)|Matthew King]]. They broke up just before she took part in ''Dancing on Ice''.<ref>{{cite web |title=News: latest stories, exclusives, opinion & analysis |url=http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/tm_headline%3Dem-s-love-iced-%26method%3Dfull%26objectid%3D18573386%26siteid%3D62484-name_page.html |url-status=dead |access-date=9 October 2017 |website=Sunday Mirror |archive-date=11 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111013022/http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/tm_headline%3Dem-s-love-iced-%26method%3Dfull%26objectid%3D18573386%26siteid%3D62484-name_page.html }}</ref>
On 3 August 2015, Symons gave birth to her first child with her then-partner Paul Jackson.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brennan |first1=Bella |title=Her little summer babe! Inside Home And Away star Emily Symons' beautiful bond with her "miracle" son Henry |url=https://www.nowtolove.com.au/parenting/celebrity-families/emily-symons-son-64064 |website=[[TV Week]] |access-date=10 February 2022 |date=8 December 2021}}</ref>
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1988 || ''[[Richmond Hill (TV series)|Richmond Hill]]'' || Anne Costello || Main cast |- | 1988 || ''[[Computer Ghosts]]'' || Anya || Feature film |- | 1989–1992, 1995–1999, 2001, 2010–present || ''[[Home and Away]]'' || [[Marilyn Chambers (Home and Away)|Marilyn Chambers]] || Main cast |- | 1990–1991 | ''[[Video Smash Hits]]'' | Presenter | |- | 1990 | ''TV Celebrity Dance Party'' | Herself | With Farmhouse band Georgie Parker, Matt Day & Michael Horrocks perform "These Boots Are Made For Walkin' |- | 1991 | ''[[Celebrity Family Feud]]'' | Herself | Episode: "''Home And Away'' v The Four Kinsmen" |- | 1992 | ''[[Celebrity Wheel of Fortune]]'' | Herself | Contestant with George Kapinaris & Derek Rucker |- | 2001–2008 || ''[[Emmerdale]]'' || [[Louise Appleton]] || Main cast |- | 2007 || ''[[Dancing on Ice]]'' || Contestant || |- |}
==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" |+ List of albums, with Australian chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album details ! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart<br />positions |- ! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" | [[ARIA Charts|AUS]]<br /><ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Ryan|first=Gavin|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010|year=2011|publisher=Moonlight Publishing|location=Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia|edition=pdf|pages=99}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | ''Farmhouse'' <br>(as part of [[Farmhouse (group)|Farmhouse]]) | * Released: November 1991 * Format: CD, Cassette * Label: RCA (VPCD 0845) | align="center" | 95 |}
==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Award ! Category ! Work ! Result ! {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- | [[8th National Television Awards|2002]] | [[National Television Awards]] | Most Popular Newcomer | ''[[Emmerdale]]'' | {{nom}} | align="center"|<ref name="NTA" /> |- | 2014 | [[Equity Ensemble Awards]] | Most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series {{small|(shared with cast)}} | ''[[Home and Away]]'' (Season 26) | {{nom}} | align="center"|<ref>{{cite web| title=Equity Ensemble Awards 2014 – Voting now open!| url=http://www.equityfoundation.org.au/equity-news/equity-ensemble-awards-2014-voting-now-open.html| website=equityfoundation.org.au| date=1 April 2014| access-date=18 October 2023| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140415105231/http://www.equityfoundation.org.au/equity-news/equity-ensemble-awards-2014-voting-now-open.html| archive-date=15 April 2014}}</ref> |- | [[Logie Awards of 2023|2023]] | [[Logie Awards]] | [[Logie Award for Most Popular Actress|Most Popular Actress]] | ''[[Home and Away]]'' (Season 35) | {{nom}} | align="center"|<ref>{{cite web| last=Knox| first=David| title=Logie Awards 2023: winners| url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2023/07/logie-awards-2023-winners.html| publisher=[[TV Tonight]]| date=30 July 2023| access-date=18 October 2023| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730151354/https://tvtonight.com.au/2023/07/logie-awards-2023-winners.html| archive-date=30 July 2023}}</ref> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0843381}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Symons, Emily}} [[Category:1969 births]] [[Category:Australian expatriate actresses in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Australian television actresses]] [[Category:Actresses from Sydney]] [[Category:Living people]]