Nicola Walker

Nicola is a British actress, best known for her starring roles in various British television programmes from the 1990s onwards, particularly as Ruth in the spy drama Spooks. She has also worked in theatre, radio and film.

Beginning her acting career with the Cambridge Footlights (her contemporaries included Spooks writer David Wolstencroft and comedian Sue Perkins) while at university, her first major television role was in 1997 as English teacher Suzy Travis in two series of Steven Moffat's school-based sitcom Chalk. She has also appeared in guest roles in episodes of series such as Dalziel and Pascoe, Jonathan Creek and Broken News.

She got the leading part of DI Susan Taylor in the ITV thriller serial Touching Evil in 1997, co-starring opposite Robson Green. She also appeared in its two sequel serials in 1998 and 1999. Also in 1999, she took the lead role in the post-apocalyptic drama serial The Last Train, also screened on ITV (and written by future Spooks writer Matthew Graham).

In 2003, she joined the regular cast of the BBC One spy drama Spooks for its second run, and remained with the show until the fifth series, during the production of which it was announced she was expecting her first child and would be leaving.

In 2007 she had a prominent supporting role as a child snatcher in the ITV1 drama serial Torn and appeared in the BBC adaptation of Oliver Twist.

In film, her roles have tended to be smaller supporting parts. Her most prominent role has been as the irritating folk singer in Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), who sings "Can't Smile Without You" at the first wedding. She also appeared in the feature film adaptation of the classic television series Thunderbirds (2004).

In 2008 she appears in Gethsemane, a new play by David Hare at the National Theatre.

She is a firm fan of Dolly Parton and once shared a flat with Emma Kennedy. She cannot type; on the set of Spooks hand doubles were brought in. She is married to actor Barnaby Kay (Cracker, Shakespeare in Love, Conspiracy etc.