Kara Tointon

Kara Tointon is an English actress, born on August 5, 1983. She gained fame for her role as Dawn Swann in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. In 2010, Tointon emerged as the winner of the BBC competition series Strictly Come Dancing. She showcased her talents again in 2015 when she portrayed Maria in the ITV live production of The Sound of Music Live. Born and raised in Leigh-on-Sea, Tointon attended St Michael's School and St Hilda's School in Essex. She was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of seven but overcame it through speech and drama lessons. Tointon made her acting debut playing Brigitta in a local amateur production of The Sound of Music.