Nicola Stephenson (born 5 July 1971)[1] is an English actress. She played the roles of Margaret Clemence in Brookside, Julie Fitzjohn in Holby City, Sarah Williams in The Chase, Allie Westbrook in Waterloo Road, and Tess Harris in Emmerdale.

Nicola Stephenson
Nicola Stephenson in War Horse as Rose Narracott
Born (1971-07-05) 5 July 1971 (age 53)
Oldham, Lancashire, England
OccupationActress
SpousePaul Stephenson
Children2

Life and career

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She was born in Oldham, Lancashire[2] and attended North Chadderton School for her secondary education.[3]

Career

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She is known mainly for her roles in television, which include Margaret Clemence in Channel 4's Brookside; Stephenson's on-air kiss with Anna Friel (Beth Jordache) was the first pre-watershed lesbian kiss to be broadcast on British television.[4][5] In 2012 the kiss was broadcast to over 5 billion people when it was included as part of the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony directed by Danny Boyle. The opening ceremony was broadcast uncensored in 76 countries where homosexuality is illegal and therefore became the first homosexual kiss to be broadcast in these countries.[6] Other roles have included Julie Fitzjohn/Bradford in Holby City, Suzie Davidson in Clocking Off, Jackie Armstrong in ITV's Christmas Lights/Northern Lights/City Lights, Sarah Williams in BBC's The Chase and Helen Enright in All at Sea. In 2012, Nicola played Louise, a series lead in the ITV drama Homefront. In 2014 she joined the regular cast of Waterloo Road as art teacher Allie Westbrook for 11 episodes.

Her theatre roles include A Patriot for Me at the Royal Shakespeare Company, directed by Peter Gill, His Girl Friday and Edmund at the National Theatre, directed by Ed Hall, and War Horse at the New London Theatre in London's West End, directed by Marianne Elliot.

In 2007, she had a lead role in the BBC TV 3 part series Superstorm directed by Julian Simpson. In 2014 she worked with Simpson again when he directed her as a guest lead in the BBC TV series New Tricks.

She appeared in the ITV drama Safe House in early 2015.[7]

From 2015 to 2016, she played the part of Tess Harris in the soap-opera Emmerdale. Her five-month stint on the serial came to a sudden end when her character was killed off in a hit-and-run incident. Stephenson's role in the soap also reunited her with her co-star from The Chase, Gaynor Faye, who had played the character of Megan Macey since 2012.

Filmography

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Films

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Year Title Role Notes
1989 The Rainbow Ethel
1990 The Final Frame Louise Television film
1995 Go Back Out Sam Television film
1996 Kiss and Tell Alex Reynolds Television film
1998 The Duke Edith Short film
1999 The Last Yellow Karen
2003 Without You Jess Television film
2004 Nits Mum Short film
Floating Grace Short film
Christmas Lights Jackie Television film
2005 The Walk Christine Television film
Legless Television film
Mr John Carol Short film
2006 All in the Game Jennifer Television film
2008 Clash of the Santas Jackie Armstrong Television film
2019 Tales from the Lodge Amanda
2023 Scoffed Jane Short film
Stone Rita Taylor Short film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1988 Coronation Street Priscilla Millbanks Recurring role; 3 episodes
1990 Children's Ward Amanda Recurring role; 5 episodes
Medics Suzie Episode: "Annie"
1990–1994 Brookside Margaret Clemence Series regular; 238 episodes
1994 Nice Day at the Office Lizzie Kershaw Series regular; 6 episodes
1996 Out of the Blue Lucy Shaw Recurring role; 5 episodes
1997 Wokenwell Fran Rainford Series regular; 6 episodes
The Bill Julie Hicks Episode: "Shades of Grey"
1998–1999 My Wonderful Life Gail Recurring role
1998–2001 Casualty Julie Fitzjohn Recurring role; 4 episodes
1999 Big Bad World Jennifer Episode: "What's Wrong with Bees?"
1999–2001 Holby City Julie Fitzjohn Series regular; 50 episodes
2002–2003 Clocking Off Suzie Davidson Recurring role; 11 episodes
2004 Animated Tales of the World Wife Episode: "The Shoemaker's Son"
2005 The Afternoon Play Nicola Passmore Episode: "The Hitch"
Dead Man Weds Donna Havercroft Recurring role; 4 episodes
Waking the Dead Julia Henderson Episode: "Subterraneans"
2006 Northern Lights Jackie Armstrong Series regular; 6 episodes
2006–2007 The Chase Sarah Williams Series regular; 20 episodes
2007 Superstorm Sara Hughes Miniseries; 3 episodes
City Lights Jackie Armstrong Series regular; 6 episodes
2008 Hotel Babylon Justine Episode: "Series 3, Episode 1"
Lark Rise to Candleford Susan Braby Episode: "Series 1, Episode 7"
2009 Law & Order: UK Mandy Jackson Episode: "Unloved"
2010 Strike Back Diane Porter Recurring role; 3 episodes
Moving On Lindsay Episode: "Skin Deep"
2012 Life Stories Megan's Mum Episode: "Megan's Friend"
Homefront Louise Mancetta Miniseries; 6 episodes
2013–2015 All at Sea Mum Series regular; 26 episodes
2014 New Tricks Emily Fraser Episode: "London Underground"
Waterloo Road Allie Westbrook Series regular; 10 episodes
2015 Safe House Ali Blackwell Recurring role; 4 episodes
2015–2016 Emmerdale Tess Harris Series regular; 31 episodes
2017–2020 The Worst Witch Julie Hubble Recurring role; 25 episodes
2018 The Alienist Maebh Connor Recurring role; 3 episodes
2019 Agatha Raisin Liz Jellop Episode: "The Curious Curate"
Midsomer Murders Izzy Silvermane Episode: "With Baited Breath"
2020 Silent Witness Grace Beaty Episode: "Hope"
Broke Marnie Series regular; 6 episodes
Dun Breedin' Sandra Miniseries; 1 episode
2021 Whitstable Pearl Connie Rowe Episode: "The Free Waters"
2022 Call the Midwife Thelma Haig Episode: "Series 11, Episode 3"
The Dumping Ground Delilah Fortune Episode: "Saviour"
The Walk-In Renshaw's Mother Miniseries; 3 episodes
2023 Maternal Debbie Wares Recurring role; 2 episodes
London Kills Kathy Lawrence Episode: "Fallout"
The Long Shadow Olive Smelt Miniseries; 3 episodes

Personal life

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Stephenson was in a relationship with actor Kieran O'Brien for eight years. The relationship ended in 1999.[8] Nicola has two daughters, Esme Rose Stephenson born in 2008 whose father is director Ian Curtis, and one named Iris Lilly Stephenson, born in 2010 daughter of her husband Paul Stephenson.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ "Weekend birthdays". The Guardian. 5 July 2014. p. 47.
  2. ^ "Nicola Stephenson's profile at Another Tongue". anothertongue.com. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  3. ^ "North Chadderton School – list of notable alumni".
  4. ^ Roffey, Monique (2 October 1994). "When Anna and Beth kissed Margaret: Anna Friel plays Brookside's lesbian pin-up. Monique Roffey met her". theindependent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 June 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  5. ^ "Discover more about the stars of BBC Drama – Anna Friel". BBC.
  6. ^ "The London Olympics opening ceremony includes a lesbian kiss seen around the world – AfterEllen". 28 July 2012.
  7. ^ Crawford, Sue (19 April 2015). "Life as I know it: Nicola Stephenson, star of the new drama Safe Houses". Daily Express. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  8. ^ "Me, cool and calm?; Nicola Stephenson says she's so clumsy she nearly killed someone while filming Clocking Off. She talks to Janie Lawrence about that, her ideal men (yes men) and life after that Brookside lesbian snog". The Free Library. 13 January 2002. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
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