and Dolls opposite (at various times) Ewan McGregor, Nigel Harman, Sarah Lancashire, Jane Krakowski and Nigel Lindsay. She received a nomination for the 2006 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for this role. In 2006, she took over from Anna-Jane Casey as Dot/Marie in the London revival of Sunday in the Park with George, by Stephen Sondheim for which she won the 2007 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She subsequently played Amy alongside Felicity Kendal in the West End revival of the play Amy's View in 2006. In 2008, Russell reprised her role as Dot in the Broadway transfer of Sunday in the Park with George. The production opened on 21 February 2008 and ran until 29 June 2008 at Studio 54. Russell won the Theatre World Award and received Drama Desk Award and Tony Award nominations for Best Actress in a Musical, losing to Patti LuPone. In 2009 she appeared in the inaugural episode of the resurrected TV series Minder as Petra. Russell has appeared in Into the Woods twice. For the Donmar Warehouse production in 1998, she played Cinderella. For the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in 2010, she played the role of the Baker's Wife. In August 2012, Russell took to the London stage again at the Soho Theatre in Soho Cinders. She then played the role of Mary in Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London's West End, following a run at the Menier Chocolate Factory. From February 2014 she appeared as Penelope Pennywise in the London production of Urinetown: The Musical at the St. James Theatre. She reprises the role for the West End production at the Apollo Theatre from September 2014. In January 2016 she starred with Sheila Hancock in the first UK production of Grey Gardens at The Southwark Playhouse to sell-out audiences. In December 2016 she took over from previous actress Susan Tully in the role of Michelle Fowler in BBC One soap-opera EastEnders. In 2018 Russell decided to leave EastEnders to pursue other work. Her last appearance aired on Tuesday 17 April 2018. In September 2022, Russell led the cast in Alan Ayckbourn's Woman in Mind (December Bee?) at Chichester Festival Theatre. Awards and nominations Personal life Russell is the partner of actor Raymond Coulthard, and they are the parents of a girl. Russell revealed that she was in