years_active nationality article_title name born occupation
1999 -- present welsh emma catherwood
 emma catherwood 7 december 1981 -lrb- age 29 -rrb- actress
emma catherwood

emma catherwood -lrb- born 7 december 1981 -rrb- is a welsh actress and former model best known for her role as jo in `` my kingdom '' and for her role in `` holby city '' .
catherwood studied the meisner technique in london , and has degrees in english literature and art history .
catherwood began her career with models 1 , where she modelled for short time before quitting after a family crisis .
soon after , she made her first major television appearance in `` little bird '' for itv , playing a downtrodden mancunian mother of five .
at the same time catherwood made her feature film debut in `` large '' for filmfour .
this led to a role starring opposite richard harris in `` my kingdom '' ' .
harris has been quote as saying `` emma is one of the best actresses i 've worked with in my very long career '' .
`` my kingdom '' is based upon the shakespeare play `` king lear '' .
it was one of the last projects made by harris .
catherwood played joe his daughter -lrb- cordellia -rrb- , an ex-heroin addict .
in preparation for this role the young actress spent time in liverpool , where she worked on the accent and visited recovery centres .
catherwood appeared as a young prostitute , sandra , in the itv series `` the vice '' .
catherwood starred opposite ken stott and james frain .
for the thriller `` spirit trap '' catherwood lost weight and cut a severe fringe to portray the drug abusing , narcissistic character of adele .
catherwood also starred in another thriller as mel in `` the reeds '' , which is part of the after dark horrorfest .
catherwood played dr penny valentine in the bbc medical drama series `` holby city '' .
a well-educated junior doctor , penny valentine arrived in holby with her brother during the show 's eleventh series .
executive producer tony mchale and series producer diana kyle announced the arrival in may 2009 , with kyle describing penny as `` full of energy and enthusiasm '' , assessing she would have an `` instant impact on the wards at every level '' .
mchale described them as `` a great addition to the gang '' , explaining that `` they both want to achieve and although one is more naturally gifted than the other , they 're both very talented doctors .
work and private lives are bound to collide in their quests to climb their respective career ladders . ''
catherwood observed several bypass operations to prepare for the role , which she described as a `` wonderful experience '' , feeling both humbled and privileged to attend , `` i 'm not squeamish so i had no problems with them , '' she said .
`` i watched various bypass operations and was completely fascinated .
i felt so privileged to be in there with the amazing doctors , who do such a brilliant job . ''
`` to watch someone crack open a chest is a wonderful experience .
it makes you realise that 's all we are underneath .
it was a great way of introducing me to the world of medicine .
i really appreciate what they do . ''
