Nicola Stephenson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nicola Stephenson
Nicola Stephenson in War Horse as Rose Narracott
Born	(1971-07-05) 5 July 1971 (age 54) Oldham, Lancashire, England
Occupation	Actress
Spouse(s)	Paul Stephenson
Children	2

Nicola Stephenson is a talented English actress. She was born on July 5, 1971. She is well-known for her roles in many popular TV shows. These include playing Margaret Clemence in Brookside, Julie Fitzjohn in Holby City, and Allie Westbrook in Waterloo Road. She also played Tess Harris in Emmerdale.

Nicola Stephenson's Life and Career

Nicola Stephenson grew up in Oldham, Lancashire, England. She went to North Chadderton School for her high school education.

Her Acting Career Highlights

Nicola Stephenson is most famous for her work on television. One of her earliest and most notable roles was as Margaret Clemence in the Channel 4 show Brookside. In 1994, she was part of a groundbreaking scene. Her character shared a kiss with another character, Beth Jordache, played by Anna Friel. This was a very important moment for British television. It was one of the first times such a scene was shown on TV before 9 PM.

This famous kiss was even shown to billions of people around the world. It was part of the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. The ceremony was directed by Danny Boyle. This meant the scene was seen in many countries. It helped to show different kinds of relationships to a huge global audience.

Nicola has also starred in many other TV dramas. She played Julie Fitzjohn in Holby City and Suzie Davidson in Clocking Off. She was Jackie Armstrong in the "Lights" series of TV films and shows. These included Christmas Lights, Northern Lights, and City Lights. She also played Sarah Williams in the BBC show The Chase. In 2012, she had a main role as Louise in the ITV drama Homefront. In 2014, she joined the cast of Waterloo Road. She played Allie Westbrook, an art teacher, for 11 episodes.

Nicola Stephenson's Theatre Work

Besides TV, Nicola Stephenson has also performed in many plays. She was in A Patriot for Me at the Royal Shakespeare Company. She also performed in His Girl Friday and Edmund at the Royal National Theatre. A very well-known role was in the play War Horse. She performed this play in London's West End at the New London Theatre. In 2025, she played Dorothy Pizer in the play Liberation. This play was shown at the Royal Exchange Theatre. It was part of the Manchester International Festival.

Other Notable Roles

In 2007, Nicola Stephenson had a main role in the BBC TV mini-series Superstorm. She worked again with director Julian Simpson in 2014. He directed her in an episode of the BBC TV series New Tricks. In early 2015, she appeared in the ITV drama Safe House.

From 2015 to 2016, she played Tess Harris in the popular soap opera Emmerdale. Her character was involved in a dramatic storyline. Tess Harris was sadly killed off in a hit-and-run accident. This role reunited Nicola with her co-star from The Chase, Gaynor Faye. Gaynor Faye played Megan Macey in Emmerdale.

Nicola Stephenson's Film and TV Appearances

Here are some of the films and TV shows Nicola Stephenson has appeared in.

Films

Television Shows

Nicola Stephenson's Family Life

Nicola Stephenson has two daughters. She keeps her family life private.