Spooks :
Jane Featherstone : the character of Ruth Evershed for Spooks was created because we knew that we were going to lose Jenny Agutter, who played Tessa [in Series 1], and we needed another strong, interesting female character to balance the team out. Nicola’s completely brilliant. I think that once Nicola became that role, the writers have just loved writing for that part, and Nicola’s really made it her own.
Nicola : I love the role of Ruth. I remember filming that first day, and being so horrifically nervous because you were coming onto this established programme, and going into the meeting room for the first time, and meeting Keely, Matthew, Peter and David, and I think Ruth’s first lines were, dropping files, falling over, stuttering, and I remember thinking I was so pleased she is monumentally nervous because I could barely put one foot in front of the other anyway, that was quite useful.
Harry and Ruth :
Peter Firth : Nicola’s character, Ruth, has grown immeasurably, partly due to her ability and partly to the way her character fits into the show. They’ve given her a lot lot more to do, particularly with Harry. There’s something on the back burner there … It just come out of the process of working together, that there’s this thing going on [between Harry and Ruth] which we thought was intentional, but [the writers and producers] all deny it and said, you’re imagining it.
Leaving Spooks in 2006 :
Nicola left Spooks in 2006, half way through Series 5, because she was pregnant with her first child. In her last scene on the show, she was carried down the Thames in a barge because Ruth had decided to sacrifice her life and career in order to save Harry’s.
Nicola : The owner told me that that barge has been in his family’s business for years. They use it to haul garbage down the Thames. I thought it was probably a fitting way to go, since my career was probably going down the toilet as I was leaving a successful show.
Returning to work in 2007 :
When Nicola returned to work in 2007, she first took on a small role in Oliver Twist, followed by a more substantial part in the TV mini series, Torn. She also did a number of radio and stage plays.
Nicola : [Sometime in 2008] I went into the Kudos office one day to show everyone my son, like you do when you’re a proud first time parent. And as I was leaving, Jane Featherstone (Kudos Creative Director) said, ‘Why don’t you come back next year?‘ And I said, ‘Yeah, I’d love to.‘ And that was it. It wasn’t complicated. Jane asked and I said yes. It was as simple as that.
Nicola, as Ruth Evershed, returned to Spooks in 2009. She turned in spectacular performances not only in Series 8, 9 and 10 of Spooks, but also in a number of guest starring roles in other high profile TV shows, such as Luther, Law & Order : UK and Being Human.
Life after Spooks
Spooks ended in 2011 after 10 series, but that has only freed up Nicola for more exciting new projects. In 2012 alone, she has filmed not only a high profile lead role in Last Tango in Halifax, but she has also appeared in guest roles in Inside Men, A Mother’s Son and New Tricks (series 9). After waiting 15 years, Nicola is cast in a new comedy, Heading Out, written by one of her best friends, Sue Perkins. In the same year, Nicola was also part of the ensemble cast in the highly acclaimed stage adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time at the Cottesloe Theatre at the National Theatre. Her performance of “Judi”, Christopher’s mother in this play, earned her an Olivier Award. We have more details on this Page.
To find out what projects Nicola is involved at any time, check out our Current Work page.
27 November 2011 : Editor’s Note
We’ve worked long and hard in finding information for this Bio and can quote you the source for each and every entry. We’re disappointed that a couple of fans have simply paraphrased info from here when they update Nicola’s page on Wikipedia, but they’ve neglected to credit us as the source. 🙁 We’re referring, in particular, to one or two pieces of info here which only we have reported as part of Nicola’s bio but is not available elsewhere. The “fans” in question should know what we’re talking about. A “heads-up” from them would have been nice!
Nicola Walker is without doubt Britain’s best actress. Just watched The Split 2 and Marriage. Totally brilliant in both
I have run through the complete series of the Split for the umpteenth time. I love it and the characters and would love to have been in the Defoe family. Nicola was/is the right choice for big sister Hannah,calm, self assured and poised( well dressed too). Loved all the kissing especially between Nicola and Barry!!! TheMarriage left me cold as a drama but was watchable forNicola’s one liners. Thanks to her for all. performances from a mum old enough to be her mum. Love this site.CC
Found out about Nicola after listening to the (amazing) ‘Lovecraft Investigations’ podcast on the BBC, in which she plays a minor part of ‘Dr. Elenor Peck’. Her real-life Husband, Barnaby Kay also stars and headlines the podcast as an investigative journalist, investingating unsolved mysteries.
While Barnaby, and the rest of the cast who appear in the show, are good (The show reached the top 10 podcast list for 2019, or so i’ve read), Nicola stands out as being the ONLY member of the cast (Sorry Barnaby) as sounding completely natural and believable from start to finish. Especially in the history lesson segments she delivers to the shows two main protagonists.
It would therefore seem that she benefitted somewhat by NOT going to drama school, as her performances are unforced, natural and totally believable (not to mention excellent!)
I fell in love with Nicola in River. Her laughter, her wacky ways and now in Unforgotten. I saw her in another series but have forgotten its name. My only problem with her character in Unforgotten, riveting as the series have been, is how emotionally involved and upset she gets with each case. Clearly this is part of her human appeal, but I suspect a real detective working for 30 years on cold cases would have to become slightly more inured to the evil murderers & predictable effects on the victims’ loved ones.
Just watched Nicola in Last Tango In Halifax….one word…WOW !
Nicola has the ability to be able to star in any role she simply makes her own.
Nicola is a breath of fresh air on our tv screens….I’ve now watched Unforgotten and The Split..
If you reading this Nicola…you are amazing and I’d just like to wish you all the best in yr next venture…and if you have 2 mins…please send me a signed photo of yrself ! Thank you for making staying at home …due to this lockdown…more pleasurable…
Kay Coltman
GREAT actress. Not sure where she was hiding all these years? One of the most expressive actresses in the business today. ‘River’ said it best– when she smiles her cheeks burst ( in a good way and its too late for you as she owns your emotions from that point on 🙂 ) amazingly crazy-skilled, charming lady.
I love your acting and I love your face, Nicola. I’m an old man of 80+ and I’ve never said this to anyone except my wife. My Mum came from Stepney. I lived in Enfield for years, now Cambridge. All the best. You deserve it.
What a lovely comment from Terrence! I write from Finlad and I love British drama and comedy. I found Nicola´s acting a bit straining to watch in the Last Tango in Halifax. Now, I´ve watched her as the superintendent series and the drama about lawyers. I have grown to like her immensively! Now, she seems to have gotten rid of the whiney qualities, I suppose it´s a habit, we all have them. Despite what I just said, I think she has a very rare and genuine quality about her in her acting. She is truthful as is Martin Shawn in Inspector Gently. I love that quality of honesty, uncorruptable and love of truth. As a matter of fact, despite liking the series about the high fly lawyers, and I think Nicola looks stunning, I still prefer her in parts that fight for justice anfd for the underdog, no pretension. There is too much greed in this world, I would not like to sacrifice Nicola to that greedy world, playing the part of a partner in a greedy law firm. They would not have normal average clients, would they.
Why did they not make a script about lawyers who base their work pon ethics, not accumulating money. Nicola would be just the right person to play the leading role.
Just recently introduce to this wonderful actress while watching Last Tango and River. She is so convincing in her roles. I will rewatch and then again and again.
Such an amazing talent!
Nicola you are such a fabulous actress, always different and unique
Nicola, You are fantastic. You have the most expressive face ever and the more I watch you ,the more beautiful you become . At 82 I think I have fallen for you. Above all you are a fabulous actress.
So inspiring, no instant fame. Hard work and experience = fabulous adaptable character actress. Great talent which I think will keep growing.
I could watch her act forever.
US fan.
Nicola, cheers from a big fan in St. Charles, MO USA. I love your work, saw you first in Four Weddings and a Funeral, you made me laugh! and then spooks and now, my current fave, Last Tango in Halifax. You are fabulous!!
Great actress, great on Scott and Bailey, watch on PBS in NH USA.
Dear Nicola, I have seen you in “last tango in Halifax”and just think your acting is fantastic! It is rare to see such good acting! I’m so hoping there will be another series, it’s brilliant!
Dear Nicola , I came across this site after an Internet search
I noticed that you were a stand out actress after watching spooks.
Same wonderful performances in “tango in Halifax”.
I’ve never written on any fan sites before but you are a very special actress.
Best wishes.
I just watched Nicola in Luther. Splendid performance! I am now officially of fan of her!
I was impressed by Nicola’s acting in “Spooks” (MI5 here in the US). But while I was warming to the 1st series of Last Tango In Halifax I learned just how exceptional her talent is. So much so that the increasingly ‘soapy’ script isn’t reaching the level of her performance. I will be watching everything she’s in from now on. A truly gifted actress.
What more to add? The UK has the best female actresses in the world. Nicola Walker is up there with the best of them.
The Yanks can’t hold a candle to our girls.
Nicola’s characterisations are so real.
great actress, just watch touching evil( again)
and its just as good as the first time i saw it, been in some great programs, and played great parts, no i,m no relation, nor friend.
Fantastic actress, Heading Out has been a revelation, she is fab at comedy too!
Splendid site! Nicola Walker is my all time favorite actress. I could watch her peeling potatoes for an hour and I know she’d be brilliant, as she is at everything she does!
Dear Nicola
just found your fansite and enjoyed reading about your work.
Spooks for me is absolutely riveting, and i spent far too many hours over each series, lol
Am about to watch next week series 10, having bought and watched each series, punishing myself to try and wait at least a month per series.
I failed!
watched the video clip of you and Peter, what a charming lady you are, and both you and Peter Firth brilliant actors. Fantastic series. Will there ever be anything else on the bbc??
best wishes
Dear Nicola,
I have enjoyed watching your performances as an actress since the first ‘Touching Evil’ episode. You can play a tough, steadied charachter, so believable, yet you always have a certain softness, a femine demeaner without ‘ being a woman’ get in the way of doing a job in charachter equal to any man. Here in American, script writers are incapable to show a strong female role with out all the added baggage attached to it. Your work is admirable and with your other works, the current role in Spooks shows that if anyone deserves a BAFTA award, it is certainly yours. The emotional and physical demands on your role as ‘Ruth’ have shown the best side of your talents; can’t wait til season 10 ever gets to America, as series 9 is now available on DVD, and yes I own a multiregion DVD player since I am a hopeless Anglophile and know U.K. productions are superior to those in the states. Sucess in all that you do and still want to accomplishment. A sincere long time fan, Mary Drew
This outstanding actress won me over with her role in “Touching Evil”… been enjoying her talents in “Spooks” as you call it across the Pond in the UK (seen on Public Television as “MI-5” here in the States)… a fan for life? Count me in. Best to you, Nicola! 😉
Definitely the best biography I’ve read of her to date – really interesting to read why she took up acting in the first place!
I LOVE THIS BIO! Despite my searches for everything Nicola, this bio has revealed so much more than I thought I knew about her. The quotes are such a wonderful insight. It’s great! Thanks so much for this site and for all the extras that I can’t seem to find anywhere else. 🙂
Fascinating! I really can’t wait to read more!
Love love love the new site by the way – it’s gorgeous! 😛
Cheers! Lovely coverage of Nicola’s background. 🙂
Like the new look. 😀