Nicola Stephenson

Nicola Stephenson (born 5 July 1971)[1] is an English actress. She is known mainly for her roles in television, which include Margaret Clemence in Brookside; Stephenson's on-air kiss with Anna Friel was the first pre-watershed lesbian kiss to be broadcast on British television.[2][3] In 2012 the kiss was broadcast to over 5 billion people when it was included as part of the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony directed by Danny Boyle. The opening ceremony was broadcast uncensored in 76 countries where homosexuality is illegal and therefore became the first homosexual kiss to be broadcast in these countries.[4] Other roles have included Julie Fitzjohn/Bradford in Holby City, Suzie Davidson in Clocking Off, Jackie Armstrong in ITV's Christmas Lights/Northern Lights/City Lights, Sarah Williams in BBC's The Chase and All at Sea. In 2012, Nicola played Louise, a series lead in the ITV drama Homefront. In 2014 she joined the regular cast of Waterloo Road as art teacher Allie Westbrook for 11 episodes.

Her theatre roles include A Patriot for Me at the Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Peter Gill, His Girl Friday and Edmund at the National Theatre directed by Ed Hall and War Horse at the New London Theatre in London's West End directed by Marianne Elliot.

In 2007, she had a lead role in the BBC TV 3 part series Superstorm directed by Julian Simpson. In 2014 she worked with Simpson again when he directed her as a guest lead in the BBC TV series New Tricks.

She was born in Oldham, Lancashire and attended North Chadderton School for her secondary education.[5]

Stephenson was in a relationship with actor Kieran O'Brien for eight years. The relationship ended in 1999.[6] Nicola has two daughters named Esme, born in 2008 and Iris, born in 2010. She is married to the artist Paul Stephenson.

References

  1. ↑ "Weekend birthdays". The Guardian (Guardian Media). 5 July 2014. p. 47.
  2. ↑ Roffey, Monique (2 October 1994). "When Anna and Beth kissed Margaret: Anna Friel plays Brookside's lesbian pin-up. Monique Roffey met her". www.theindependent.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  3. ↑ "Discover more about the stars of BBC Drama - Anna Friel". BBC.
  4. ↑ http://www.afterellen.com/tv/102520-the-london-olympics-opening-ceremony-includes-a-lesbian-kiss-seen-around-the-world
  5. ↑ North Chadderton School - list of notable alumni
  6. ↑ "Me, cool and calm?; Nicola Stephenson says she's so clumsy she nearly killed someone while filming Clocking Off. She talks to Janie Lawrence about that, her ideal men (yes men) and life after that Brookside lesbian snog". The Free Library. 13 January 2002. Retrieved 15 April 2014.

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