{{Short description|English author and actress}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}} {{Infobox writer |name=Victoria Knowles | image = WHSmith Oxford Street book signing.jpg | caption = Knowles attends the WHSmith Oxford Street book signing of The PA's Story |birth_name = Victoria Jenkins |birth_date={{birth date and age|df=yes|1976|04|16}} |birth_place=United Kingdom |occupation=Author, actress, singer, producer and entrepreneur | alma_mater = Guildford School of Acting |language=English | spouse = {{marriage|Edward Knowles|2014}} | children = 1 }} '''Victoria Knowles''' (née '''Jenkins'''; born 16 April 1976) is an English author, actress, singer, producer and entrepreneur.<ref name="The Sunday Times2014">{{cite news|title=To her, PA means personal assassin|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/to-her-pa-means-personal-assassin-d7d62v8vff5|newspaper=Sunday Times|access-date=2018-11-29|date=2014-07-20|last1=Thring|first1=Oliver|archive-date=28 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228125859/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/to-her-pa-means-personal-assassin-d7d62v8vff5|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Koch">{{cite news|title=Meet my Friday night friend|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/meet-my-friday-night-friend-6751374.html|access-date=2018-11-29|publisher=The London Evening Standard|date=23 November 2009|first=Christian|last=Koch|archive-date=30 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130083332/https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/meet-my-friday-night-friend-6751374.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="What the PA saw">{{cite news|title=What the PA saw|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/what-the-pa-saw-why-a-scandalous-new-book-has-sent-the-city-into-a-panic-9614273.html|publisher=The London Evening Standard|date=July 2014|access-date=5 October 2021|archive-date=30 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130082215/https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/what-the-pa-saw-why-a-scandalous-new-book-has-sent-the-city-into-a-panic-9614273.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Grazia France">{{cite web|title=Victoria Knowles : elle fait trembler les jeunes loups de la finance|url=https://www.grazia.fr/news-et-societe/news/victoria-knowles-elle-fait-trembler-les-jeunes-loups-de-la-finance-672330|date=13 August 2013|first=Mathieu|last=Alterman|website=Grazia|language=fr|access-date=2018-11-29|archive-date=27 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927193020/https://www.grazia.fr/news-et-societe/news/victoria-knowles-elle-fait-trembler-les-jeunes-loups-de-la-finance-672330|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Fenland Citizen">{{cite news|title=Dee lands role in TV sit-com|url=http://www.fenlandcitizen.co.uk/news/latest-news/dee-lands-role-in-tv-sit-com-1-445348|access-date=1 November 2008|publisher=Fenland Citizen|date=November 2008|archive-date=13 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713191207/http://www.fenlandcitizen.co.uk/news/latest-news/dee-lands-role-in-tv-sit-com-1-445348|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Career ==
=== ''It’s Breast Cancer'' and ''Wig Bank London'' === In January 2022, Knowles was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer. Her treatment consisted of 16 rounds of chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy. She didn’t want her diagnosis to be for nothing, so she set about creating a support website called Breast Cancer Chat, and Wig Bank London; a wig recycling service aimed at offering cancer patients wigs at reduced prices.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dailystar.co.uk/real-life/it-terrifying-losing-hair-during-29164445 | title='I lost my hair during chemo – but found way to get confidence back' | date=9 February 2023 }}</ref>{{deps|certain=y|date=March 2023}}
She also wrote a memoir called ‘It’s Breast Cancer - three little words that change your life’ charting her cancer journey and what she did to improve her prognosis, which was released in late January 2023.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/the-sudden-twinge-felt-bed-26123540 | title='The sudden twinge I felt in bed led to a shattering diagnosis' | date=4 February 2023 }}</ref>
=== ''The PA'' and ''The PA's Story'' === In June 2014, Knowles self-published an e-book titled ''The PA'', an autobiographical account of her time working as a personal assistant to various high profile personalities in the City of London. ''The PA'' reached No1 in both the Apple iTunes and Amazon chart for paid books and received widespread media attention.<ref name="The Sunday Times2014"/>
Subsequent to the success of the ebook, ''The PA'', Knowles was offered a publishing deal to release the book as a paperback with John Blake Publishing, retitled as ''The PA's Story'', it went on sale in the United Kingdom on 4 June 2015.<ref name="Trinity Mirror">{{cite news|title=I hope my story helps others to fight sleaze|publisher=Trinity Mirror|date=9 July 2015}}</ref>
In July 2019, Knowles completed the screenplay for the film adaptation of ''The PA''. Subsequently, in February 2020, a UK film production company optioned the rights to make the film, which is in the development stage.
=== ''Friday Night Sucks'' ===
In 2009, Knowles founded the social networking site, ''Friday Night Sucks'', which was aimed at people that were new to London. The inspiration for the site came when Knowles first moved to London and struggled to make new friends and fill her free time. An alternative to the dating website model, ''Friday Night Sucks'' offered new visitors to the capital a more authentic night out.<ref name="Koch"/><ref name="The Guardian">{{cite news|title=Find a friend|url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/oct/10/travel-news-scotland-nature-christmas-train|access-date=1 October 2009|work=The Guardian|date=October 2009|archive-date=21 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021203847/http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/oct/10/travel-news-scotland-nature-christmas-train|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="The Mirror">{{cite news|title=How to banish Friday night blues|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/how-to-banish-friday-night-blues-434524|access-date=1 December 2009|publisher=Trinity Mirror|date=December 2009|archive-date=5 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905001633/http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/how-to-banish-friday-night-blues-434524|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Wigan Today">{{cite news|title=Vicki will help you find a pal|url=http://www.wigantoday.net/news/local/vicki-will-help-you-find-a-pal-1-200838|access-date=1 September 2009|publisher=Wigan Today|date=September 2009|archive-date=12 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712114444/http://www.wigantoday.net/news/local/vicki-will-help-you-find-a-pal-1-200838|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Other activities===
Knowles, a trained actress and graduate of the Guildford School of Acting in Surrey, has appeared in several British soap operas including Brookside, Hollyoaks and Coronation Street, as well as on stage.<ref name="What the PA saw"/><ref name="Grazia France"/> In 2008, Knowles co-wrote, starred in and produced the online mockumentary series, ''Bev Allen, Life Coach'', with her partner, Edward Knowles. The show garnered a cult online following, subsequently receiving interest from production companies and networks with a view to develop it for television.<ref name="Fenland Citizen"/>
Knowles released her debut EP, ''This is Rees'', under the name of ''Rees'' in 2012 and has appeared as a lead vocalist with the band ''Real Experts''.<ref name="The Sunday Times2014"/>
== Personal life ==
Knowles lives in Greenwich, London, with her husband, son and cat.<ref name="Trinity Mirror"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://vaknowles.com/ The PA's Story] – official website *{{IMDb name|12367843}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Knowles, Victoria}} Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century English memoirists Category:21st-century English screenwriters Category:21st-century English women writers Category:21st-century English actresses Category:English women memoirists Category:Alumni of the Guildford School of Acting Category:English stage actresses Category:English television actresses Category:Actresses from London Category:People from Greenwich Category:Actors from the Royal Borough of Greenwich
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