Karen Henthorn (born 14 February 1963) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Julie Bates in BBC soap opera EastEnders from 1997 to 1998 and 2025 to 2026, as well as Teresa Bryant in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street between 2007 and 2010. Henthorn's other roles include various appearances in Doctors, Casualty and Holby City, as well as stage productions including War Horse, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Much Ado About Nothing.
Early life Henthorn was born on 14 February 1963 in Oldham, Lancashire to Pamela (née Stott) and Peter Henthorn. She has an older brother, Stephen. She began to develop an interest in acting aged 12, and subsequently joined the Oldham Theatre workshop, before being cast in her first professional role the following year, portraying Betty Parris in a theatre production of The Crucible. She then went on to study a two-year foundation course in Theatre Studies at her local college, before embarking on a three year course at Drama Centre London.
Career After beginning her career in theatre, Henthorn's early television roles included appearances in Children's Ward and Boon in 1989. She made her film debut in 1993 as a young mother in Raining Stones. In 1997, Henthorn joined the cast of the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Julie Haye, a school teacher of Clare Bates (Gemma Bissix). She later becomes a love interest for Clare's father Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley) and the pair begin a relationship, ultimately departing in April 1998 after Julie accepts a job in Scotland and Nigel decides to leave alongside her. Henthorn's other roles included parts in series such as The Booze Cruise, in which she played Cath Bolton, as well as several episodes of Doctors, Casualty, Heartbeat and Holby City. She also played Marissa Platting, a social worker in the television series Shameless.
In 2007, Henthorn joined the ITV soap opera Coronation Street as Teresa Bryant. Initially appearing for several episodes, she returned a year later on a permanent contract with the character's storylines including her ex-husband Jerry Morton (Michael Starke)'s heart attack, a complicated relationship with her children, and her relationship with Lloyd Mullaney (Craig Charles). The majority of Teresa's on-screen family the Mortons were axed in 2008, however she remained on the show until making her final appearance in May 2010.
In 2011, she appeared on Sky One's comedy series Trollied. The same year, she played a school inspector in the CBBC series Young Dracula. Between 2013 and 2014, she played Janet Macy on the BBC Three series In the Flesh. Henthorn is also a teacher, having taught screen acting on the BA (Hons) Acting course at Italia Conti Academy in Clapham and at the Manchester School of Theatre. Between 2013, she appeared in the touring National Theatre production of War Horse. Henthorn's other stage credits include Ockerbys on Ice, Shirley, Spring and Port Wine, The Newspaper Boy, Tinned Up, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing and Blithe Spirit.
In 2022, she starred as DI Sowerby in the Channel 5 programme The Teacher alongside Sheridan Smith and Kelvin Fletcher. The following year, she appeared in an episode of the ITV drama Vera as Jill Falstone; in the first episode of Channel 5's The Good Ship Murder as Maureen Weaver; and in the second series of BBC One prison drama Time. In 2024, she appeared as Emily in the BBC One drama The Listeners.
After making a voice appearance earlier in the year, in June 2025, it was announced that Henthorn would return to EastEnders as Julie Bates, after 27 years away from the role, as part of the character's on screen husband Nigel's dementia storyline. She returned the following month, and departed in May 2026 following Nigel's death. Julie proved popular with the soap's viewers during her return, with many commending Henthorn's portrayal of the character and were disappointed to see her depart. Henthorn also appeared in the Amazon Prime Video series The Girlfriend, as well as an episode of The Jury: Murder Trial. Following her departure from EastEnders, she went on to appear in the dark comedy play Mothers and Daughters at the Edge Theatre, Manchester.
Personal life Henthorn was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer in 2011, and ultimately beat the disease. She went on to support a fundraising campaign for Stand Up To Cancer and had two further cancerous lumps removed, one from her chest and another from her right arm.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1989 Boon Female Student 1 episode 1989 Children's Ward Casualty Nurse 1 episode 1990 Casualty Sandra Episode: "Close to Home" 1993 Raining Stones Young Mother Film role 1995 The Bill Melanie Cross Episode: "Presumed Guilty" 1997 Dalziel and Pascoe Sturgeon's Nurse Episode: "Ruling Passion" 1997–1998, 2025–2026 EastEnders Julie Bates Regular role 1999 Silent Witness Anne-Marie Williams 2 episodes 1999 Stanton Blues Geri Green 2 episodes 2000 My Hero Jason's Mum 1 episode 2000 Holby City Jeanette Cunningham Episode: "Into the Woods" 2000 Doctors Amanda Kenworth Episode: "Coming and Going" 2003 The Booze Cruise Cath Bolton Television film 2003 Sons & Lovers Librarian Television film 2003 The Bill Bridget Thomas Episode: "Bad Taste" 2004 Born and Bred Ivy 2 episodes 2004 Doctors Sheila Seagrove Episode: "The Birds and the Bees" 2004 Heartbeat Glad Dibley Episode: "Mountains and Molehills" 2004 Casualty Helen Bradshaw Episode: "World Gone Wild: Part 2" 2005 The Booze Cruise II: The Treasure Hunt Cath Bolton Television film 2005 Shameless Marissa Platting 1 episode 2006 The Booze Cruise III: The Scattering Cath Bolton Television film 2006 No Angels Craft Leader 2 episodes 2006 Pulling Eileen 1 episode 2006 Dalziel and Pascoe Pathologist 2 episodes 2007 The Bill Judith Wilkes Episode: "The New Generation" 2007 Holby City Susan Hobson Episode: "Leap of Faith" 2007 Heartbeat Mary Younger Episode: "The Medium Is the Message" 2007–2010 Coronation Street Teresa Bryant Regular role 2008 Doctors Doreen Fletcher Episode: "No. 786" 2009 Pussyfooting Trudy Short film 2009 The Street Headmistress 1 episode 2011 Casualty Helen Leigh 2 episodes 2011 Trollied Michelle 1 episode 2011 Young Dracula Mrs. Cotton 1 episode 2012 White Heat Val Television mini-series; 3 episodes 2012 Homefront Maria 1 episode 2012 Doctors Paula Salisbury Episode: "Life's Too Short" 2013 In the Flesh Janet Macy 3 episodes 2015 Doctors Ruth Price Episode: "Busted" 2018 Dark Heart Theresa Ryan / Theresa Clarke 2 episodes 2018 Thick As Steves Auntie Jean Television film 2018 Doctors Bea Donalds Episode: "Shame" 2020 The Trouble with Maggie Cole Jenny Myer 4 episodes 2021 Viewpoint Janice Baines Television mini-series; 5 episodes 2022 The Teacher DI Sowerby 2 episodes 2022 Royal Shakespeare Company: Much Ado About Nothing Dogberry Television film 2022 The Rising Joan Connolly 5 episodes 2023 Vera Jill Falstone 1 episode 2023 The Good Ship Murder Maureen Weaver 1 episode 2023 Time Elizabeth O'Riordan 2 episodes 2024 Passenger Cath Benjamin-Dale 3 episodes 2024 The Listeners Emily 3 episodes 2025 The Jury: Murder Trial Mary Crossford Television mini-series; 1 episode 2025 Selby Love Mrs. Blenkin Short film 2025 The Girlfriend Tracey Laine Television mini-series; 6 episodes 2025 Fackham Hall Sister Jude Film role 2025 Ellipsis Alison Short film 2025 Jackie Is Lost Jackie Short film
Stage Year Title Role 1976 The Crucible Betty Parris Zack Sally Teale Edward II Lady Margaret De Claire The Snow Queen Gerda Wuthering Heights Cathy The Idiot Aglaya The Caucasian Chalk Circle Grusha A Taste of Honey Sally Teale Not Gods But Giants Shirley Ryan Bintou P'tit Jean's Mother The Crucible Abigail Williams 1989 A Chorus of Disapproval Linda Washbrook 1992 Straight and Narrow Lois 2002 The Accrington Pals Annie Boggis 2013–2014 War Horse Rose Narracott 2015 Ockerbys on Ice Viv Ockerby 2017 Shirley Audrey 2017 Spring and Port Wine Daisy Crompton 2018 The Newspaper Boy Nana Jean 2019 Tinned Up Shirley Parkin 2021 A Midsummer Night's Dream Bottom 2022 Much Ado About Nothing Dogberry 2025 Blithe Spirit Madame Arcarti 2026 Mothers and Daughters Gill
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