# Nerys Hughes

Nerys Hughes (born 8 November 1941) is a Welsh actress and narrator, known primarily for her television roles, including her parts in the BBC TV series The Liver Birds (1971-1978) and The District Nurse (1984-1987).

## Early life and education

She was born in Rhyl, Flintshire. Her parents were Myfi and Ted Kerfoot-Hughes, who raised her as a Methodist and sent her to Howell's School in Denbigh, where she took an interest in drama. Her first language was Welsh, although she said in 2009 that by then she had lost some competence. She studied drama at Rose Bruford College and in 1960 joined the Radio Drama Company by winning the Carleton Hobbs Bursary.

## Career

One of Hughes's early dramatic roles was in Ken Loach's television series titled Diary of a Young Man in 1964. She is best known for the role of Sandra Hutchinson in the enormously successful BBC TV series The Liver Birds which ran from 1969 to 1978 with a brief revival in 1996. Her main co-stars were Mollie Sugden and Polly James.
She later played the eponymous lead in The District Nurse, a series which was written for her, and won the Variety Club Television Actress of the Year Award. The series was released on DVD in 2006.
She made brief appearances in the films A Severed Head and Take a Girl Like You, both in 1970. In the theatre, she has appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the English Stage Company at the Royal Court, and the Theatre of Comedy.
Hughes was one of the explorers who voyaged to the planet Arg in the (now lost from the BBC) fourth episode of the second series of the 'science-fiction' quiz The Adventure Game in 1981, where she was evaporated in the Vortex game. She also guest-starred in the metaphorical and esoteric Doctor Who story Kinda (1982) as the scientist Todd, alongside actors Peter Davison, Richard Todd and Simon Rouse. She also appeared in the Torchwood episode "Something Borrowed" as Brenda Williams (Rhys's mother), and an alien. She is also known for her role as Glenda in The Queen's Nose (1998–2000). Hughes later returned to Doctor Who through Big Finish Productions audio dramas as the Fourth Doctor's companion Margaret Hopwood.

## Personal life

Hughes is married to television cameraman Patrick Turley and has a son and a daughter.

## In popular culture

Half Man Half Biscuit released a song "I Hate Nerys Hughes (From The Heart)" on the album Back in the D.H.S.S..

## Television roles
### Comedy

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1966 | The Likely Lads | Valerie |
| 1967 | Further Adventures of Lucky Jim | |
| 1969 | The Valley Express | Jenny |
| 1972 | The Merchant of Venice | Nerissa |
| 1971–79 1996 | The Liver Birds | Sandra Hutchinson |
| 1982 | Third Time Lucky | Beth Jenkins |
| 1989 | A Night of Comic Relief 2 | Herself |

### Drama

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1963 | Dixon of Dock Green | Beryl |
| 1963 | Z-Cars | Molly Roberts |
| 1967 | Mr. Rose: "The Black Beast" | Heather |
| 1970 | Manhunt | Francine |
| 1975–76 | How Green Was My Valley | Bronwen Morgan |
| 1982 | Doctor Who: "Kinda" | Todd |
| 1984–87 | The District Nurse | Megan Roberts |
| 1998 | The Queen's Nose | Glenda |
| 2008 | Torchwood: "Something Borrowed" | Brenda Williams |

### Appearances

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1981 | The Adventure Game | Explorer |
| 1984 | This Is Your Life | Subject |
| 1989 | Fun with ABC | Presenter |