Claudia Sermbezis: The Remarkable Career of a BBC Reporter, Actress and Star Wars Performer
Claudia Sermbezis is a British television reporter, actress, writer and presenter whose career crosses news, entertainment, wildlife filmmaking and theatre. She is best known to many film fans for playing Lema Eelyak in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. At the same time, television viewers in the south-east of England know her for her work with BBC News and BBC South East Today.
Her career combines serious journalism with professional acting. She has worked in national newsrooms, performed in London’s West End, appeared alongside major comedy stars and taken part in one of the world’s most famous film franchises. Her work also reflects a strong interest in travel and conservation.
Claudia Sermbezis Early Life and Education
Claudia Asimina Sermbezis was born in Kent to a Greek father and an English mother. She has kept many parts of her private life away from the spotlight. She studied Drama at The University of Manchester from 1991 to 1994.
First Class Honours
Claudia Sermbezis graduated with First Class Honours, giving her a strong foundation for both stage and screen work. Her university training helped develop the confidence, voice control and performance skills central to her work as an actress and television presenter.
Claudia Sermbezis Age
Claudia Sermbezis was born on 24 May. In an Instagram post dated 24 May 2022, she shared photographs from different stages of her life and wrote “50 today”. This gives a firm basis for placing her birth year in 1972.
She turned 54 on 24 May 2026. The birthday post also shows her warm sense of humour, as she joked about entering her fifties and used a playful collection of granny emojis. Rather than hiding her age, she celebrated every decade of her life, from nursery years to adulthood.
Beginning in Television Journalism
Claudia began her journalism career at the age of 17, when she gained early experience by shadowing BBC presenter Anna Ford. She later became the youngest national newsreader in the United Kingdom. At the age of 25, she read Saturday morning news bulletins for GMTV.
Her GMTV career included work as a weekend news presenter on The Sunday Programme from 2006 to 2008. This was an important step because it placed her in front of a national audience and helped establish her reputation as a clear, confident broadcaster. Her early television work combined newsroom discipline with the presence of a trained performer.
Claudia Sermbezis BBC News Career
National Newsroom Experience
Claudia Sermbezis joined the BBC after her time at GMTV and worked as a producer on major BBC News programmes. Her experience includes Breakfast, the One O’Clock News, the Six O’Clock News and the Ten O’Clock News. This newsroom background gave her a detailed understanding of how television news is planned, researched, filmed and delivered.
She now works as a television presenter and reporter for BBC News, with much of her work connected to BBC South East Today. She also writes for BBC Online. Her reports cover people, communities, culture, wildlife, social issues and events across the south-east of England.
Her connection with BBC South East has brought her recognition within the regional broadcasting industry. She won Kent Press and Broadcast Presenter of the Year in 2024 and 2025. She also won Kent Press and Broadcast Feature Journalist of the Year in 2020, while a Royal Television Society nomination further reflects the quality of her broadcasting work.
Wildlife Filmmaking and Conservation
The natural world is one of Claudia’s strongest professional interests. She produced, wrote and presented a BBC wildlife documentary about dancing bears in India. The project gave her the chance to combine journalism, travel and conservation in one powerful television story.
She has also filmed wildlife reports from India, Armenia and Zakynthos. Her work has included stories about endangered animals, conservation projects and people working to protect wildlife. These reports show a different side of her broadcasting style: curious, compassionate and strongly focused on the relationship between people and the natural world.
Claudia Sermbezis in Star Wars
Claudia Sermbezis played Lema Eelyak in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, released in 2015. The film became one of the highest-grossing productions in cinema history and introduced a new generation of characters, worlds and stories to the Star Wars universe.
Lema Eelyak is a Resistance character seen at the Resistance base. Although the part is brief, it is a credited speaking role in a globally recognised film. Claudia’s performance gave her a lasting connection to one of the most successful film franchises ever made.
Her Star Wars work is one part of a much wider acting career. She has acted in television, film, theatre, comedy productions, adverts, idents and voice-over projects. Her professional acting career began in 1996 and continues alongside her journalism work.
Theatre and Comedy Acting
Claudia’s stage career includes work in London’s West End with Vanessa Redgrave. She was also a member of the Peter Hall Company, an important theatre company connected with respected British stage director Sir Peter Hall. These roles placed her among experienced theatre professionals and gave her valuable stage experience.
She has worked with the Royal National Theatre Studio and spent six months as a guest artist at Dramaten, the Royal Theatre of Sweden. Her television comedy credits include Extras with Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, Annually Retentive with Rob Brydon and a Doctor Who comedy production in which she played David Tennant’s assistant.
Her acting work also includes Coronation Street and other television productions. She has written and performed comedy, including Being Beautiful, created through Rob Brydon’s production company.
Travel Writing and Creative Work
Travel has remained an important part of Claudia’s professional life. She became Features Editor for Best In Travel Magazine and has written for Travel Africa, The Influencer Magazine and Namibia Tours & Safaris. Her travel writing connects naturally with her interest in wildlife, culture, photography and distant places.
Her creative work extends into audio and training. She is an experienced media trainer who has worked with TV News London and Hillside. She also works as a regular voice-over artist, using her strong broadcast voice for clients including the BBC, the Open University, Barratt Homes, Resonance 104.4FM and the art-pop duo No-Man.
London Olympics and Public Work
In 2012, Claudia took part in the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games in London. The ceremony was watched by millions of people and celebrated British music, culture, performance and sport. Taking part added another memorable public event to a career already connected with television, theatre and film.
Claudia Sermbezis continues to balance several professional roles. One week may involve a BBC feature, another may involve wildlife filming, voice-over work, media training or acting. This range has become one of the defining strengths of her career and helps explain why she is known across different creative industries.
Claudia Sermbezis Family and Personal Life
Claudia Sermbezis has spoken publicly about being a mother. In a Mother’s Day post, she referred to “my boys”, confirming that she has at least two sons. A later post mentioned one son, Rocco, and his brother in a light-hearted story about childhood friendship and Valentine’s Day.
Claudia Sermbezis has not publicly confirmed the name of a husband or partner in the details available here. It is therefore best to describe her as a mother of two sons while leaving her marital status private. Her social media posts focus mainly on family moments, friendships, work, travel and creative projects.
Awards and Recognition
Claudia Sermbezis’s work has received recognition from regional broadcasting and media organisations. Her Kent awards include Presenter of the Year in 2024 and 2025, as well as Feature Journalist of the Year in 2020. She was also named a 2025 Wonder Women mentee and a Women in Film and Television mentee.
These honours recognise her ability to develop features, interview people, explain complex subjects and connect with local communities. Her career demonstrates the value of preparation, empathy and clear storytelling.
Conclusion
Claudia Sermbezis has built a rare career across journalism, acting, theatre, comedy, wildlife filmmaking, travel writing and voice work. She has worked for major BBC news programmes, presented regional television, appeared in Star Wars and performed on important British and international stages.
At 54, she continues to work across several creative fields. Her story is one of variety, professional discipline and personal enthusiasm. From a young drama graduate in Manchester to a BBC reporter, wildlife filmmaker and Star Wars actress, Claudia has created a career that is both distinctive and enduring.
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