# Nicola Stephenson

Nicola Stephenson (born 5 July 1971) 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.

## Life and career

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

### Career

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. 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. 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.
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
### Films

| 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 |
| 2004 | Floating | Grace | Short film |
| 2004 | Christmas Lights | Jackie | Television film |
| 2005 | The Walk | Christine | Television film |
| 2005 | Legless | | Television film |
| 2005 | 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 |
| 2023 | Stone | Rita Taylor | Short film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1988 | Coronation Street | Priscilla Millbanks | Recurring role; 3 episodes |
| 1990 | Children's Ward | Amanda | Recurring role; 5 episodes |
| 1990 | 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 |
| 1997 | 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" |
| 2005 | Dead Man Weds | Donna Havercroft | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 2005 | 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 |
| 2007 | City Lights | Jackie Armstrong | Series regular; 6 episodes |
| 2008 | Hotel Babylon | Justine | Episode: "Series 3, Episode 1" |
| 2008 | 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 |
| 2010 | Moving On | Lindsay | Episode: "Skin Deep" |
| 2012 | Life Stories | Megan's Mum | Episode: "Megan's Friend" |
| 2012 | Homefront | Louise Mancetta | Miniseries; 6 episodes |
| 2013–2015 | All at Sea | Mum | Series regular; 26 episodes |
| 2014 | New Tricks | Emily Fraser | Episode: "London Underground" |
| 2014 | 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" |
| 2019 | Midsomer Murders | Izzy Silvermane | Episode: "With Baited Breath" |
| 2020 | Silent Witness | Grace Beaty | Episode: "Hope" |
| 2020 | Broke | Marnie | Series regular; 6 episodes |
| 2020 | 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" |
| 2022 | The Dumping Ground | Delilah Fortune | Episode: "Saviour" |
| 2022 | The Walk-In | Renshaw's Mother | Miniseries; 3 episodes |
| 2023 | Maternal | Debbie Wares | Recurring role; 2 episodes |
| 2023 | London Kills | Kathy Lawrence | Episode: "Fallout" |
| 2023 | The Long Shadow | Olive Smelt | Miniseries; 3 episodes |

## Personal life

Stephenson was in a relationship with actor Kieran O'Brien for eight years. The relationship ended in 1999. Stephenson has two daughters.