{{short description|British actress (born 2001)}} {{Use British English|date=February 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Harley Bird | image = | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = | birth_name = Harley Fiona Riley | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|12|13|df=y}} | other_names = Harley Riley | birth_place = [[Rochdale, Greater Manchester]], England | occupation = Actress | alma_mater = [[Manchester School of Theatre]] | years_active = 2007–present }} '''Harley Fiona Riley''' (born 13 December 2001),<ref name="TWDob">{{cite web|title=12 today! I love my pressies....!x|url=https://twitter.com/Harley_Bird_09/status/411437348639870976|website=Twitter|access-date=20 May 2017|language=en|date=13 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newsday.com/lifestyle/family/kidsday/actress-harley-bird-interview-1.15674908|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504010627/https://www.newsday.com/lifestyle/family/kidsday/actress-harley-bird-interview-1.15674908|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 May 2018|title=Harley Bird, voice of Peppa Pig, talks with Long Island kids|work=Newsday|last1=Iuzzolino|first1=Sarah|last2=Lewis|first2=Hannah|last3=Matthews|first3=Donovan|last4=Vieni|first4=Izzy|date=29 December 2017|access-date=3 May 2018}}</ref> better known by her [[stage name]] of '''Harley Bird''', is an English actress.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alphabetkidz.co.uk/press.php|title=Alphabet Kidz talent agency|access-date=8 August 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905210309/http://www.alphabetkidz.co.uk/press.php|archive-date=5 September 2012}}</ref> She was the third as well as the longest running voice of ''[[Peppa Pig]]'', taking on the role in 2007 and leaving in 2020. The role was taken over by [[Amelie Bea Smith]].
==Early life and education== Harley Fiona Riley<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ukboardingschools.com/news/pipers-corner-school-pupil-wins-children-s-bafta/#.WO0Jj5DTVDs|title=Pipers Corner School Pupil wins Children's BAFTA|work=UK Boarding Schools|date=16 February 2012|access-date=11 April 2017}}</ref> was born in [[Rochdale]], [[Greater Manchester]] in Northern England to Gill and Craig Riley, the second eldest of four children, with two sisters and a brother.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/13-year-old-girl-rochdale-behind-tvs-8536543|title=Meet TV's Peppa Pig... the 13-year-old girl from Rochdale|work=Manchester Evening News|last=Thompson|first=Melissa|date=25 January 2015|access-date=11 April 2017}}</ref> Bird attended [[Tring Park School for the Performing Arts]] in Hertfordshire on their Tring Park Associates programme before enrolling into the main school.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/552374/Peppa-Pig-voice-Harley-Bird-interview|title='I'm Peppa Pig' Meet Harley Bird, 13, the voice behind the world's most famous cartoon hog|work=Express|last=Barns|first=Sarah|date=16 January 2015|access-date=11 April 2017}}</ref> She went on to graduate from the [[Manchester School of Theatre]] in 2023 with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] (BA) in Acting.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatre.mmu.ac.uk/profile/harley-bird/|title=Harley Bird|website=Manchester School of Theatre|accessdate=8 August 2024}}</ref>
==Career== At age five, she was signed to Alphabet Kidz Talent Agency. A month later she gained the [[Voice acting|voice role]] of Peppa in the children's animated series ''[[Peppa Pig]]''. She replaced the previous actors, Lily Snowden-Fine and Cecily Bloom. She first voiced Peppa on the 2007 "Peppa's Christmas" special and continued to voice the character for seasons 3, 4, 5 and the first half of the 6th. She voiced Peppa Pig on "[[The Official BBC Children in Need Medley]]" and various other pieces of show merchandise.<ref>{{Citation|title=Peppa Pig star Harley Bird on 10 years oinking|work=BBC News|date=21 March 2017|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-39332539|language=en-GB|access-date=21 March 2017}}</ref>
Bird's TV appearances and radio broadcasts include a behind-the-scenes feature on [[CBBC (TV channel)|CBBC's]] ''[[Newsround]]''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/16956023|title=Harley Bird: The Voice Behind Peppa Pig|access-date=8 August 2012}} BBC Newsround, 9 February 2012</ref> and an interview in character as Peppa on BBC Radio One's ''[[The Chris Moyles Show|Chris Moyles Show]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/photos/chrismoyles/6586/673|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130419222736/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/photos/chrismoyles/6586/673|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 April 2013|title=Chris Moyles Guests 2011|access-date=8 August 2012}}</ref> She became the youngest [[British Academy Film Awards|British Academy Film Award]] winner when she won the Performer award at the 2011 [[British Academy Children's Awards|BAFTA]] for her voice-artist work as Peppa Pig.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bafta.org/awards/childrens/2011-childrens-awards-nominations-winners,2169,BA.html|title=BAFTA Children's Awards Winners 2011|access-date=8 August 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120911101315/http://www.bafta.org/awards/childrens/2011-childrens-awards-nominations-winners,2169,BA.html|archive-date=11 September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Woods|first=Judith|title=Why middle-class England is potty about Peppa Pig|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/8972519/Why-middle-class-England-is-potty-about-Peppa-Pig.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223134730/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/8972519/Why-middle-class-England-is-potty-about-Peppa-Pig.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 December 2011|access-date=29 July 2012|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=22 December 2011}}</ref>
Bird announced that she was leaving the role of Peppa Pig on 31 January 2020, after 13 years and 185 episodes in the role.<ref name="guardian3101">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/jan/31/peppa-pig-voice-actor-harley-bird-quits-after-13-years|title=Peppa Pig voice actor Harley Bird quits after 13 years|date=31 January 2020|work=The Guardian|access-date=29 October 2020}}</ref> She was succeeded in the role by [[Amelie Bea Smith]].<ref name="guardian3101"/>
Bird starred as Daisy in ''Blueberry'', a 2009 short film which won the Audience Award at the [[Cinequest Film Festival]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.matthewsanger.co.uk/Matthew-Sanger-Films/Blueberry|title=Blueberry|access-date=8 August 2012|archive-date=29 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729034606/http://www.matthewsanger.co.uk/Matthew-Sanger-Films/Blueberry|url-status=dead}}</ref> She also starred as Piper alongside [[Saoirse Ronan]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.studiomagonline.com/blog/saoirse-ronan-to-star-in-how-i-live-now|title=Saoirse Ronan to star in How I Live Now|access-date=8 August 2012|work=Studio Magazine|date=27 July 2012}}</ref> in [[Kevin Macdonald (director)|Kevin Macdonald]]'s ''[[How I Live Now (film)|How I Live Now]]'', released in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.megrosoff.co.uk/2012/06/25/press-release-for-how-i-live-now-film|title=Press release for "How I Live Now" film|access-date=8 August 2012|date=25 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529203043/http://www.megrosoff.co.uk/2012/06/25/press-release-for-how-i-live-now-film/|archive-date=29 May 2016|url-status=dead}}Meg Rosoff blog</ref> She also starred in ''Goodbye'', a radio drama by [[Morwenna Banks]], her Peppa Pig co-star, that aired on [[BBC Radio 4]] alongside [[Olivia Colman]], [[Natascha McElhone]], [[Darren Boyd]], [[Alison Steadman]], and [[John Simm]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.johnsimmsociety.com/2013/10/26/john-simm-joins-olivia-coleman-natascha-mcelhone-olivia-poulet-for-goodbye/|title=John Simm joins Olivia Coleman, Natascha McElhone & Olivia Poulet for 'Goodbye'|date=27 October 2013}}</ref> In 2017, Bird played the lead role of Sammy in [[Disney Channel (UK and Ireland)|Disney Channel]]'s [[webisode]] series, ''So Sammy''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-02-14/miranda-hart-makes-foray-into-childrens-tv-with-new-disney-web-series-so-sammy|title=Miranda Hart makes foray into children's TV with new Disney web series So Sammy|work=Radio Times|last=Taylor|first=Frances|date=14 February 2017|access-date=11 April 2017}}</ref> In 2024, Bird starred in the [[Amy Winehouse]] biopic ''[[Back to Black (film)|Back to Black]]'' as Winehouse's best friend Juliette Ashby.
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2007–2020 | ''[[Peppa Pig]]'' | [[Peppa Pig (character)|Peppa Pig]] and Baby Alexander | Voice |- | 2009 | ''Blueberry'' | Daisy | Short film |- | 2010–2014 | ''Hailey and Friends'' | Mika | Dubbed Voice |- | 2013 | ''[[How I Live Now (film)|How I Live Now]]'' | Piper | Film |- | 2013 | ''Goodbye'' | Maddy | BBC Radio 4 drama |- | 2013–2020 | ''[[Milkshake!]]'' | Peppa Pig | Voice |- | 2014 | ''[[Doctor Who]]'' | Ruby | Episode: "[[In the Forest of the Night]]" |- | 2017 | ''So Sammy'' | Sammy | Disney mini series |- |2024 |''[[Back to Black (film)|Back to Black]]'' |Juliette Ashby |Film |- | 2028 |''My First Cinema Experience'' | Peppa Pig | Film: Voice, Archival Footage |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|3897655}} * [https://www.spotlight.com/0458-0199-7628 Harley Bird] at Spotlight *{{cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/shooting-starts-on-kevin-macdonalds-how-i-live-now/5043685.article/|title=Screen Daily - Shooting Starts on Kevin MacDonald's "How I Live Now"|access-date=8 August 2012}} *{{cite web|url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/tv_and_showbiz/s/1471526_the-10-year-old-girl-from-rochdale-who-is-a-global-tv-star---as-the-voice-of-peppa-pig/|title=Manchester Evening News - The 10 Year Old Girl from Rochdale who is a global TV star as the voice of Peppa Pig|access-date=8 August 2012|date=21 January 2012}} *{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/entertainment-arts-15933947|title=BBC News - Voice of Peppa Pig, Harley Bird, wins a BAFTA|work=BBC News|access-date=8 August 2012}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bird, Harley}} [[Category:2001 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Alumni of the Manchester School of Theatre]] [[Category:English child actresses]] [[Category:English television actresses]] [[Category:English voice actresses]] [[Category:People educated at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts]] [[Category:Actresses from Rochdale]] [[Category:21st-century English actresses]] [[Category:People from Tring]] [[Category:Actresses from Hertfordshire]]