Nicola Thorp facts for kids

Nicola Sian Thorp is an English broadcaster, writer, and former actress. Many people know her for playing Nicola Rubinstein in the popular ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She also writes for the Metro newspaper and appears on TV shows like This Morning and Talk Today.

Early Life and School

Nicola Sian Thorp was born in Blackpool, a seaside town in England. Her family owns a factory that makes Blackpool rock candy. The factory was started by her grandfather back in 1962.

For school, Nicola went to the Arnold School, where she was chosen to be the deputy head girl. From 2007 to 2010, she moved to London to study acting at the Arts Educational School (ArtsEd).

Career in Television and Writing

In 2018, Nicola took part in a special boat race for the charity event Sport Relief. In the same year, she began writing a regular column for the Metro.co.uk newspaper. Her first article was about making sure all women and girls can get period products. Since 2019, Nicola has also been a regular guest on the morning TV show This Morning.

Playing Nicola Rubinstein in Coronation Street

Nicola joined the cast of Coronation Street on June 12, 2017. She played the character Nicola Rubinstein, who was the daughter of the show's villain, Pat Phelan.

Her character's main story ended on June 13, 2018. However, she made a brief return to the show from January 21 to February 1, 2019.

Charity Music Project

In 2018, Nicola joined a group of 26 celebrities called The Celebs to record a Christmas song. The song was called Rock With Rudolph and was created to raise money for the Great Ormond Street Hospital for children.

The song was a success and reached number two on the iTunes pop music chart.

Standing Up for What's Right

Nicola became well-known as an activist in 2016. She was working as a temporary receptionist when she was sent home without pay for refusing to wear high-heeled shoes. The company's dress code required them, but Nicola felt it was unfair.

She started an online petition asking for the law to be changed so that companies couldn't make women wear high heels to work. The petition was very popular and got nearly 110,000 signatures in just two days. Many politicians supported her.

Nicola even spoke to a special government committee about the issue. She explained that she wasn't against high heels, but that women shouldn't be forced to wear them for their jobs. Because of her campaign, the company changed its rules.

Personal Life

In an interview, Nicola shared that she has dealt with mental health challenges, including depression and a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. She has spoken openly to help others.

For a time, Nicola lived on a canal boat, moving it to different spots along the canals.

In the summer of 2024, Nicola married actor Nikesh Patel. They had been together since 2021. In 2023, the couple appeared on the TV show Celebrity Hunted. They welcomed their first child, a daughter, in January 2024.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations