Brett was born in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland and studied at the London Studio Centre. She is fluent in Spanish. Brett has admitted to being a bit of a wild child in her youth, drinking heavily for 20 years. Brett speaks with a Scottish accent; however, on moving to London, she adopted a London accent – fitting for her EastEnders role. She says she has always had a "knack" with accents and has admitted that prior to appearing in Waterloo Road speaking with a Scottish accent became very handy when people would ask if she was Jane from EastEnders. She has admitted that when asked that question she would then reply in her native Scottish accent and people then assumed they were mistaken. Brett was in a relationship with musician Dave Evans for six years. The couple met on a in 2001 and got engaged; however, they split in 2007 before the wedding. Brett revealed in January 2011 that she was pregnant with her first child. She gave birth to Erin Anne Millie Brett in June 2011.
Career
Her first TV role was the officer manager in London's Burning. She later appeared in The Bill in two roles: as Emma Gilmore and Irene Murray, and also in My Hero playing a female customer. Needing an Equity Card to be a paid professional actress in the UK, she replied to an advert in The Stage and joined Circo Magico Italiano, a travelling circus, in Mexico and Central America. On her return she appeared in various productions on London's West End Stage, including playing a prostitute in Les Misérables, appeared in the UK Tour of The Rocky Horror Show as Magenta, starring alongside Jason Donovan as Frank, and appeared in the musical Smokey Joe's Cafe. After being spotted in Les Misérables by EastEnders casting director Kat Collins, she was given the part of Jane Beale. She made her first appearance in June 2004, and initially signed a three-year contract, renewed in 2007. In 2010, she signed a further one-year contract. She also appeared as Jane in the 2010 spin-off series . In May 2011, Brett left the soap briefly on maternity leave. It was revealed that she would return to her role in November 2011. In January 2012, her character departed from EastEnders. Brett briefly reprised her role in January 2014, and returned permanently later in November. Brett departed EastEnders again in 2017; her final episode aired on 23 October 2017. On 15 March 2012, it was announced Brett would be joining the BBC's ongoing drama Waterloo Road as Christine Mulgrew, a new English teacher hired by headmaster Michael Byrne. For the first time in Brett's career, she spoke in her native accent as the show had relocated to Scotland. Brett's character then took over as acting headteacher at the end of the eighth series and was appointed as permanent headteacher at the beginning of series 9. Brett continued to appear in Waterloo Road in the second half of series 9, despite her return to EastEnders. Brett confirmed via Twitter that she will continue filming on Waterloo Road in late spring 2014 and stayed in the role until the show ended. On 24 December, Brett took part in a one-off celebrity special of All Together Now, and was crowned winner after receiving a score of 92. In early 2020 Brett starred as DC Gemma Darlington in the C4 crime drama Deadwater Fell. This is the second time Brett has reverted back to her own native Scottish accent while playing a character. The first time was when she played Christine Mulgrew in BBC Waterloo Road.
Filmography
Charity
Brett has made various television appearances in aid of charity. She participated in the 2007, 2008 and 2009 telethon appeals for Children in Need where she sang alongside the rest of the EastEnders cast. In the 2008 appeal, she was cast as Mary Poppins. She also participated in the 2010 telethon appeal for Children in Need where she appeared as Jane in the EastEnders and Coronation Streetcrossover episode "East Street". On 19 February 2010 Brett appeared on The Weakest Link alongside her co-stars and former co-stars Adam Woodyatt, Laila Morse, Larry Lamb, Todd Carty, Ricky Groves, John Partridge, John Altman and Charlie G. Hawkins. She won and donated her winnings to breast cancer campaign and Alzheimer's disease research.
