Tessa Peake-Jones facts for kids

Tessa Peake-Jones (born 9 May 1957) is a talented English actress. She is well-known for her roles in many popular TV shows. You might know her best as Raquel Turner from the classic British comedy Only Fools and Horses. She also voiced Tawny Owl in the animated series The Animals of Farthing Wood. More recently, she played Mrs. Chapman in the TV series Grantchester.

Early Life and Education

Tessa Peake-Jones was born in London on May 9, 1957. She grew up in Hammersmith, a part of London. She went to Kenmore Park Junior School and then Downer Grammar School (now called Canons High School). After finishing school in 1973, she decided to study acting. She trained at the famous Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. This school helps people learn how to become professional actors.

Acting Career

Tessa Peake-Jones has had a long and successful acting career. She is most famous for playing Raquel Turner in the comedy show Only Fools and Horses. In the show, Raquel was the partner of the main character, Derek "Del Boy" Trotter, who was played by David Jason. Tessa was part of the show from 1988 to 2003.

She also used her voice for a character in the animated series The Animals of Farthing Wood. She voiced the character of Tawny Owl, a wise bird.

Tessa has appeared in many other TV shows. These include Bergerac, The Demon Headmaster, and Midsomer Murders. She has also been in medical dramas like Casualty and Holby City. You might have also seen her in The Bill, Up the Garden Path, and So Haunt Me.

In 1980, Tessa played Mary Bennet in the BBC's TV version of Pride and Prejudice. This is a very famous story. She also appeared in a TV film called Poppy Shakespeare in 2008.

From 2009 to 2011, Tessa played Sue Bond in the BBC soap opera Doctors. In 2013, she had a guest role in the popular science fiction show Doctor Who. She played a character named Marta in the Christmas episode "The Time of the Doctor".

Since 2014, Tessa has been a main character in the series Grantchester. She plays Mrs. Maguire, who is the vicar's housekeeper. Her character is known for being religious and a bit grumpy.

In 2019, Tessa showed off her singing skills on the ITV show All Star Musicals. She sang the song "Mamma Mia" from the musical Mamma Mia!.

Personal Life

Tessa Peake-Jones has two children, a son named Charlie and a daughter named Molly-Rose. Their father is actor Douglas Hodge. Tessa and Douglas were together for 29 years before they decided to go their separate ways in 2013.

Film and Television Roles

Tessa Peake-Jones has acted in both films and many television shows. Here is a list of some of her roles.

Film Roles

Television Roles