# Claire Rushbrook

Claire Louise Rushbrook (born 25 August 1971) is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Roxanne in the film Secrets & Lies (1996), and for playing Linda Earl-Bouchtat (Rae's Mum) in My Mad Fat Diary (2013–2015).
Other credits include The Sins (2000), Linda Green (2001–02), the sitcom Carrie & Barry (2004–05), Whitechapel (2009–2013), Home Fires (2015–16), Enola Holmes (2020), and Ammonite (2020).

## Early life

Claire Louise Rushbrook was born on 25 August 1971 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. She attended Fearnhill School, in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, until 1989, before joining Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance, for three years, to study for a BA Hons degree in Theatre Art.

## Career

Rushbrook worked mainly in theatre for around five years before moving into film and television. She guest starred in the episodes "The Impossible Planet" and "The Satan Pit" in Doctor Who and had supporting roles in films Secrets & Lies and Spice World. Her Doctor Who guest star status earned her a position in a Doctor Who celebrity edition of The Weakest Link, but ended up being the fourth one voted off. She also appeared in the 2008 BBC comedy drama Mutual Friends, and the 2009 ITV1 dramas Whitechapel, and Collision, both alongside Phil Davis.
Rushbrook's theatre credits include West End productions of Three Sisters as Olga, and Festen as Helene. Other stage roles include Mary Warren in The Crucible (Sheffield Crucible theatre), Sonia in Uncle Vanya (Almeida Theatre), Mum in Market Boy (National Theatre), and Maggie in Middle (National Theatre).
Her films include Mike Leigh's Secrets & Lies (1996), and Carine Adler's Under the Skin (1997) with Samantha Morton. On television, she has starred in The Sins (2000), Linda Green (2001–02), the sitcom Carrie & Barry (2004–05).
From 2013 to 2015, she played Linda Earl-Bouchtat, Rae's Mum, in the television series My Mad Fat Diary, for which she received a 2014 nomination for BAFTA Best Supporting Actress.
In 2016, she appeared in Home Fires (2015–16), in 2020, she worked alongside Millie Bobby Brown and Henry Cavill in Enola Holmes (as Mrs Lane) and with Saoirse Ronan in the film Ammonite. In 2021, she starred opposite Adeel Akhtar in the British film Ali & Ava. In 2021, Rushbrook played Laurie in BBC Radio 4 drama Jazz and Dice.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1996 | Secrets & Lies | Roxanne | |
| 1997 | Under the Skin | Rose Kelly | |
| 1997 | Crocodile Snap | Mum | Short film |
| 1997 | Spice World | Deborah | |
| 1999 | Plunkett & Macleane | Lady Estelle | |
| 2000 | Shiner | Ruth | |
| 2002 | Close Your Eyes | Grace | AKA Doctor Sleep |
| 2003 | A Changed Man | Anne Marie | Short film |
| 2003 | Tethered | Sarah | Short film |
| 2007 | I Am Bob | Barlady | Short film |
| 2007 | Mary and Mick | Mary | Short film |
| 2019 | Spider-Man: Far From Home | Janice | |
| 2020 | Ammonite | Eleanor Butters | |
| 2020 | Enola Holmes | Mrs. Lane | |
| 2021 | Ali & Ava | Ava | |
| 2023 | The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry | Farmer's Wife | |
| 2023 | Sky Peals | Donna | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1994 | Casualty | Policewoman | Episode: "Love and Affection" |
| 1997 | Turning World | Julia Garnett | 3 episodes: "#1.1", "#1.2", "#1.3" |
| 1997 | Touching Evil | Julie Carney | 2 episodes: "Killing with Kindness: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 1999 | Coronation Street | Mrs. Barratt | 2 episodes |
| 1999 | Spaced | Yolanda | Episode: "Art" |
| 1999 | Shockers | Terri | Episode: "The Visitor" |
| 2000 | The Sins | Faith Blackwell | TV miniseries, 6 episodes |
| 2001–2002 | Linda Green | Michelle Fenton | Recurring role, 10 episodes |
| 2002 | The Stretford Wives | Elaine Massey Simmons | TV film |
| 2004 | Family Business | Rachel Brooker | Recurring role, 6 episodes |
| 2004–2005 | Carrie & Barry | Carrie | Main role, 12 episodes |
| 2006 | Doctor Who | Ida Scott | 2 episodes: "The Impossible Planet", and "The Satan Pit" |
| 2006 | Afterlife | Jennifer | Episode: "Things Forgotten" |
| 2007 | Inspector George Gently | Valerie Lister | Episode: "Gently Go Man" |
| 2007 | Double Time | Sarah | TV film |
| 2008 | Ashes to Ashes | Trixie Walsh | Episode: "#1.3" |
| 2008 | Mutual Friends | Leigh Cato | Main role, 6 episodes |
| 2009 | New Tricks | Pamela Scott | Episode: "Death of a Timeshare Salesman" |
| 2009 | Enid | Dorothy Richards | TV film |
| 2009 | Collision | Karen Donnelly | TV miniseries, 4 episodes |
| 2009–2013 | Whitechapel | Dr. Caroline Llewellyn | Recurring role, 16 episodes |
| 2010 | Lizzie and Sarah | Fiona | TV film |
| 2010 | Agatha Christie's Marple | Caroline | Episode: "The Blue Geranium" |
| 2011 | The Fades | Meg | TV miniseries, 6 episodes |
| 2011 | Great Expectations | Mrs. Joe | TV miniseries, 2 episodes: "#1.1", "#1.2" |
| 2012 | Murder | Ellen Lowell | TV miniseries, episode: "Joint Enterprise" |
| 2012 | Mrs Biggs | Ruby Wright | 2 episodes: "#1.2", "#1.3" |
| 2013 | The Mill | Mrs. Timperley | TV miniseries, 4 episodes |
| 2013–2015 | My Mad Fat Diary | Linda Earl-Bouchtat (Rae's Mum) | Main role, 16 episodes |
| 2015–2016 | Home Fires | Pat Simms | Main role, 12 episodes |
| 2017 | Genius | Pauline Einstein | Recurring role, 4 episodes |
| 2017 | Black Mirror | Police Detective | Episode: "Crocodile" |
| 2017 | Death in Paradise | Rachel Baldwin | Episode: "Man Overboard: Part 1" |
| 2018 | Requiem | Rose Morgan | Main role, 6 episodes |
| 2018 | Kiri | Julie Burnett | Recurring role, 3 episodes |
| 2018 | No Offence | DCI Marilyn Marchant | Main role, Series 3, 6 episodes |
| 2018 | The Split | Emma Graham | Episode: "1.4" |
| 2019 | Don't Forget the Driver | Fran | TV miniseries, main role, 6 episodes |
| 2019 | Temple | Gloria Wilson | Main role, 5 episodes |
| 2022 | Magpie Murders | Katie Williams | 5 episodes |
| 2022 | Sherwood | Cathy Rowley | Main role, 6 episodes |
| 2023 | Inside No. 9 | Vicky | Episode 4: "Love is a Stranger" |
| 2023 | Wilderness | Caryl | Recurring role, 6 episodes |
| 2024 | Moonflower Murders | Kate | Post-production |
| 2024 | A Very Royal Scandal | Sarah, Duchess of York | 3 episodes |
| 2024 | Rivals | Lady Monica Baddingham | Recurring role, 8 episodes |

### Radio

| Date | Title | Role | Director | Station |
| 5 September 2003 | The Sound of Solitary Waves | Libby | Claire Grove | BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play |
| 7 March 2007 | Time Breathes | Gemma | Claire Grove | BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play |
| 29 October 2008 | Love Contract | Emma | Claire Grove | BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play |
| 20 December 2009 – 27 December 2009 | Matilda | Mrs. Wormwood | Claire Grove | BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial |
| 13 August 2014 – 10 November 2018 | Home Front | Florrie Wilson | Lucy Collingwood | BBC Radio 4 |