Holly Aird

Holly Aird
Born
Imogen Holly Aird

(1969-05-18) 18 May 1969
OccupationActress
Years active1980–present
Spouses
(m. 1996; div. 2002)
    Toby Merritt
    (m. 2004)

    Imogen Holly Aird (born 18 May 1969)[1] is an English television actress. She was born in Aldershot, Hampshire.

    Career

    Aird was spotted by a casting director at age nine whilst at Bush Davies Ballet School and starred in the 1980 dramatisation of the H. G. Wells novel The History of Mr Polly. In 1981, she portrayed the young Elspeth Huxley in the television adaptation of the latter's autobiographical book The Flame Trees of Thika. In 1982, she starred as the young Beatrix Potter in The Tale of Beatrix Potter. She was seen in The Happy Valley in 1987 with Denholm Elliott, in which she played a schoolgirl in Kenya in the 1930s. She starred in the channel 4 sitcom Dressing for Breakfast in 1995. As well as small parts in various television series, Aird became known for playing Nancy Thorpe/Garvey in Soldier Soldier. She starred in the 1997 film Fever Pitch alongside Colin Firth, and in 2000 as forensic pathologist Frankie Wharton in Waking the Dead.[2] Aird has done voiceover for various BBC natural history projects (including Wild Mallorca) as well as various TV advertisements. In 2007, she played a clinical psychologist in Channel 4's drama 'Secret Life' and in 2009 took a leading role in Talkback Thames's Monday Monday.

    Family

    Aird has one son with James Purefoy,[3] and one daughter with husband Toby Merritt.

    Filmography

    Film

    Year Title Role Notes
    1992 Carry On Columbus Maria
    1996 Intimate Relations Deirdre
    1997 Fever Pitch Jo
    1998 The Theory of Flight Julie
    1999 Dreaming of Joseph Lees Maria
    The Criminal Det. Sgt. Rebecca White
    2002 Possession Ellen Ash
    2006 Scenes of a Sexual Nature Molly
    2021 Silent Night Susie
    2022 Fly Free Fiona Short film

    Television

    Year Title Role Notes
    1980 The History of Mr. Polly Miss Polly 2 episodes
    1981 The Flame Trees of Thika Elspeth Grant 7 episodes
    1982 Secrets Wendy Ansell TV film
    Spider's Web Pippa Hailsham-Brown TV film
    1983 The Tale of Beatrix Potter Beatrix Potter (young) TV film
    1984 Oxbridge Blues Lucy Episode: "The Muse"
    1985 Affairs of the Heart Rosemary Bonamy 6 episodes
    1986 Seal Morning Rowena Farre 6 episodes
    Sunday Premiere Juanita Carberry Episode: "The Happy Valley"
    1988 Inspector Morse Angie Hartman Episode: "Last Bus to Woodstock"
    Double First Ellen Hobson 7 episodes
    1989 Mother Love Emily 4 episodes
    1990 Chain Vicky Elliott Episode: "Vicky Elliott"
    Sea Dragon Ffion Episodes: "The Pursuit", "The Blood Feud"
    1991 Miss Marple Gina Hudd Episode: "They Do It With Mirrors"
    1991–1992 Hope It Rains Jace Elliott 13 episodes
    1991–1995 Soldier Soldier Sgt. Nancy Thorpe Regular role (series 1–3, 5)
    1993 15: The Life and Death of Philip Knight Karen Painter TV film
    1995 Kavanagh QC Judy Simmons Episode: "A Family Affair"
    Circles of Deceit: Dark Secret Sarah Ellis TV film
    1995–1998 Dressing for Breakfast Carla 21 episodes
    1997 Have Your Cake and Eat It Allie Gray 4 episodes
    Rules of Engagement Dawn Boll TV film
    2000–2005 Waking the Dead Frankie Wharton Main role (series 1–4)
    2006 Losing It Nancy McNaughton TV film
    2006, 2021 Casualty Laura Merriman 5 episodes
    2007 Secret Life Emma TV film
    Torn Sarah Hooper / Alice Hooper 3 episodes
    2009 Law & Order: UK Julia Mortimer Episode: "Buried"
    Monday Monday Alyson Cartmell 7 episodes
    2010 Material Girl Caroline Episode #1.2
    Identity Tessa Stein 6 episodes
    2011 The Promise Chris Matthews 4 episodes
    Midsomer Murders Claire Powell Episode: "The Oblong Murders"
    The Restaurant Inspector Narrator (voice) 2 episodes
    Page Eight Anna Hervé TV film
    2017 Unforgotten Elise Dunphy 3 episodes
    Grantchester Alice Dunn Episode #3.3
    2021 A Discovery of Witches Francoise 6 episodes
    2022 Four Lives Jeanette Taylor 2 episodes
    McDonald & Dodds Paula Monksford Episode: "Belvedere"
    2023 Hijack Amanda 7 episodes

    References

    1. ^ Thomson, Anna (2018) "On this day: May 18", Metro, 18 May 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018
    2. ^ Brown, David (2018) "The stars of Waking the Dead on their new prequel drama – and why the show could be coming back to TV'", Radio Times, 4 March 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018
    3. ^ Farndale, Nigel (2011) "James Purefoy interview", Daily Telegraph, 13 June 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2018