# Holly Aird

Imogen Holly Aird (born 18 May 1969) is an English television actress. She was born in Aldershot, Hampshire.

## Career

Aird was spotted by a casting director at age nine whilst at Bush Davies Ballet School and starred in the 1980 dramatisation of the H. G. Wells novel The History of Mr Polly. In 1981, she portrayed the young Elspeth Huxley in the television adaptation of the latter's autobiographical book The Flame Trees of Thika. In 1982, she starred as the young Beatrix Potter in The Tale of Beatrix Potter. She was seen in The Happy Valley in 1987 with Denholm Elliott, in which she played a schoolgirl in Kenya in the 1930s. She starred in the channel 4 sitcom Dressing for Breakfast in 1995. As well as small parts in various television series, Aird became known for playing Nancy Thorpe/Garvey in Soldier Soldier. She starred in the 1997 film Fever Pitch alongside Colin Firth, and in 2000 as forensic pathologist Frankie Wharton in Waking the Dead. Aird has done voiceover for various BBC natural history projects (including Wild Mallorca) as well as various TV advertisements. In 2007, she played a clinical psychologist in Channel 4's drama 'Secret Life' and in 2009 took a leading role in Talkback Thames's Monday Monday.

## Family

Aird has one son with James Purefoy, and one daughter with husband Toby Merritt.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1992 | Carry On Columbus | Maria | |
| 1996 | Intimate Relations | Deirdre | |
| 1997 | Fever Pitch | Jo | |
| 1998 | The Theory of Flight | Julie | |
| 1999 | Dreaming of Joseph Lees | Maria | |
| 1999 | The Criminal | Det. Sgt. Rebecca White | |
| 2002 | Possession | Ellen Ash | |
| 2006 | Scenes of a Sexual Nature | Molly | |
| 2021 | Silent Night | Susie | |
| 2022 | Fly Free | Fiona | Short film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1980 | The History of Mr. Polly | Miss Polly | 2 episodes |
| 1981 | The Flame Trees of Thika | Elspeth Grant | 7 episodes |
| 1982 | Secrets | Wendy Ansell | TV film |
| 1982 | Spider's Web | Pippa Hailsham-Brown | TV film |
| 1983 | The Tale of Beatrix Potter | Beatrix Potter (young) | TV film |
| 1984 | Oxbridge Blues | Lucy | Episode: "The Muse" |
| 1985 | Affairs of the Heart | Rosemary Bonamy | 6 episodes |
| 1986 | Seal Morning | Rowena Farre | 6 episodes |
| 1986 | Sunday Premiere | Juanita Carberry | Episode: "The Happy Valley" |
| 1988 | Inspector Morse | Angie Hartman | Episode: "Last Bus to Woodstock" |
| 1988 | Double First | Ellen Hobson | 7 episodes |
| 1989 | Mother Love | Emily | 4 episodes |
| 1990 | Chain | Vicky Elliott | Episode: "Vicky Elliott" |
| 1990 | Sea Dragon | Ffion | Episodes: "The Pursuit", "The Blood Feud" |
| 1991 | Miss Marple | Gina Hudd | Episode: "They Do It With Mirrors" |
| 1991–1992 | Hope It Rains | Jace Elliott | 13 episodes |
| 1991–1995 | Soldier Soldier | Sgt. Nancy Thorpe | Regular role (series 1–3, 5) |
| 1993 | 15: The Life and Death of Philip Knight | Karen Painter | TV film |
| 1995 | Kavanagh QC | Judy Simmons | Episode: "A Family Affair" |
| 1995 | Circles of Deceit: Dark Secret | Sarah Ellis | TV film |
| 1995–1998 | Dressing for Breakfast | Carla | 21 episodes |
| 1997 | Have Your Cake and Eat It | Allie Gray | 4 episodes |
| 1997 | Rules of Engagement | Dawn Boll | TV film |
| 2000–2005 | Waking the Dead | Frankie Wharton | Main role (series 1–4) |
| 2006 | Losing It | Nancy McNaughton | TV film |
| 2006, 2021 | Casualty | Laura Merriman | 5 episodes |
| 2007 | Secret Life | Emma | TV film |
| 2007 | Torn | Sarah Hooper / Alice Hooper | 3 episodes |
| 2009 | Law & Order: UK | Julia Mortimer | Episode: "Buried" |
| 2009 | Monday Monday | Alyson Cartmell | 7 episodes |
| 2010 | Material Girl | Caroline | Episode #1.2 |
| 2010 | Identity | Tessa Stein | 6 episodes |
| 2011 | The Promise | Chris Matthews | 4 episodes |
| 2011 | Midsomer Murders | Claire Powell | Episode: "The Oblong Murders" |
| 2011 | The Restaurant Inspector | Narrator (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Page Eight | Anna Hervé | TV film |
| 2017 | Unforgotten | Elise Dunphy | 3 episodes |
| 2017 | Grantchester | Alice Dunn | Episode #3.3 |
| 2021 | A Discovery of Witches | Francoise | 6 episodes |
| 2022 | Four Lives | Jeanette Taylor | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | McDonald & Dodds | Paula Monksford | Episode: "Belvedere" |
| 2023 | Hijack | Amanda | 7 episodes |