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'Divinely Gifted' Colman's Star Has Risen

Olivia Colman, described by Meryl Streep as "divinely gifted", has become one of television's brightest stars and is a three-time BAFTA award winner.

In the last few years the actress has rarely been off our screens with roles in shows Rev, Twenty Twelve and Accused and with Nick Frost in Sky Atlantic HD's Mr Sloane .

But it is her portrayal of policewoman Ellie Miller opposite David Tennant in the ITV drama Broadchurch which has created the most interest and headlines.

The Dorset-based series about the murder of an 11-year-old boy became a huge hit, with over nine million people tuning in to see the final episode of the first series.

The second series, which had fewer viewers, failed to pick up any nominations in 2015 but a third series has been confirmed.

And Colman struggled to contain her emotions when her performance was honoured with a leading actress trophy in May 2014.

Famous for her down-to-earth and modest attitude, the mother-of-two told the audience "I'm sorry, not cool" as she fought back tears and hailed the show's writer Chris Chibnall "a f****** genius".

While Broadchurch showed off Colman's dramatic skills, the 40-year-old's career has been punctuated by comedy roles.

Colman first came to prominence as Sophie Chapman in Peep Show, alongside friends David Mitchell and Robert Webb who she met in Cambridge University's famous Footlights.

It was at Cambridge that she also met her husband, writer Ed Sinclair.

Colman continued to star in Peep Shows and That Mitchell And Webb Look until her agent advised her in 2010 to widen her horizons.

In 2011-12 she played Sally Owen, the love-lorn secretary to Hugh Bonneville's character Ian Fletcher in Twenty Twelve, a comedy about organising the Olympic Games.

She was rewarded with a BAFTA for that role last year, along with another for the BBC One series Accused.

Colman has also had a successful film career, starring in Hot Fuzz, Locke and The Iron Lady.

Hollywood star Meryl Streep described her as "divinely gifted" when she accepted her best actress film BAFTA for her role as the late Margaret Thatcher.

In addition to the recognition from BAFTA, Colman also won a Sundance Film Festival prize in 2011 the film Tyrannosaur where she played a victim of domestic violence.