Jill Baker (born 1952) is a British actress who has worked extensively in theatre and television for 50 years.
Personal life Baker is a graduate of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
She and actor Bob Peck were married for 17 years, from 1982 until his death, in 1999. They had three children.
Career She made her debut in the TV movie Savages in 1975 and has worked steadily on television and theatre since then. Her theatre work includes Sufficient Carbohydrate by Denis Potter, Goosepimples by Mike Leigh, and All My Sons, all in the West End, and the premiere of The Secret Rapture in 1988. She has also been working as an actress in British television since 1975. Along with playing a recurring lead character in Rides, Screaming and Fish, she has made cameo appearances in individual episodes of Blore M.P, The Professionals (1980), Only Fools and Horses (1981), Me and My Girl (1984), "Last Bus to Woodstock" (an Inspector Morse mystery) (1988), Tales of Sherwood Forest (1989), Prime Suspect (1995), The Girl (1996) as Anne Thornton, The Broker's Man (1997–98) as Claudette Monro-Foster, The Vanishing Man (1998) as Dr. Jeffries, Perfect Strangers (2001), New Tricks (2003), A Touch of Frost (2004), Secret Smile (2005), Waking the Dead, Holby City (2007), Spooks (2008) and Wallander, Episode 1 in 2008. She has also appeared as Lady de Lesseps in Shakespeare in Love. In 2009 she appeared in the ITV drama Whatever It Takes. In 2011 she appeared in the ITV drama Midsomer Murders "Not in My Back Yard" as Eleanor Swanscombe. In 2014, she appeared in Happy Valley as Helen Gallagher. Baker appeared in Only Fools and Horses in the episode "The Second Time Around", as Del Boy (David Jason)'s ex-fiancée, Pauline Harris.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1987Hope and GloryFaith1998Shakespeare in LoveLady De Lesseps2004That Time of Year...JosephineShort film2006Notes on a ScandalSheba's Mother2011Salmon Fishing in the YemenBetty2012John CarterAdditional VoiceVoice2012Tower BlockViolet2016A Lighthouse in Breaking WavesAliveShort filmTBAThe Bitter EndFilming
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1975SavagesAngela SmithTelevision film1975Get Some In!AgnesEpisode: "36-Hour Pass"1977The Cedar TreeVendeuse2 episodes1980The Gentle TouchConnieEpisode: "Menaces"1980The ProfessionalsAmandaEpisode: "Hijack"1981Only Fools and HorsesPauline HarrisEpisode: "The Second Time Around"1982We'll Meet AgainMavisEpisode: "Up the Smoke"1982ArenaActress in PlayEpisode: "Mike Leigh Making Plays"1983BBC Television ShakespeareLady MacduffEpisode: "Macbeth"1984Me and My GirlKim TracyEpisode: "Design for Living"1984On the ShelfJackieTelevision film1987Harry's KingdomJilly KingTelevision film1988Inspector MorseJennifer ColebyEpisode: "Last Bus to Woodstock"1988BoonMrs. HainsEpisode: "The Devil You Know"1989ScreenPlayJilly TaylorEpisode: "Testimony of a Child"1989Tales of Sherwood ForestSarah7 episodes1989Screen OnePriscilla BloreEpisode: "Blore M.P."1992ScreamingRachael8 episodes1992–1993RidesPatrice Jenner12 episodes1994In Suspicious CircumstancesElizabeth EarleEpisode: "Death Scene"1994EllenMrs. Thompson (as Gill Baker)Episode: "The Toast"1995Prime SuspectMaria HenryEpisode: "Prime Suspect: Inner Circles"1995Chandler & CoEdith CothamEpisode: "No Tomorrow"1996The GirlAnne ThorntonTelevision film1998March in Windy CityDr. Prudence CoxTelevision film1997–1998The Broker's ManClaudette Monro-Foster8 episodes1998The Vanishing ManDr. Jeffries2 episodes2000FishSarah Cornice6 episodes2001The BillLisa Sharp2 episodes2001Perfect StrangersEsther3 episodes2003New TricksGaynor WringerEpisode: "The Chinese Job"2003Real MenJulie FergusonTelevision film2003Jonathan CreekDonna HenryEpisode: "The Tailor's Dummy"2003Canterbury TalesMrs. NormanEpisode: "The Pardoner's Tale"2004A Touch of FrostElizabeth RichfordEpisode: "Dancing in the Dark"2004BelongingCathyTelevision film2004Rosemary & ThymeVal ReevesEpisode: "Swords into Ploughshares"2005Secret SmileMarcia Cotton2 episodes2007Waking the DeadDr. Caroline Ritter2 episodes2007Sea of SoulsAnnie Rubenstein2 episodes2007HeartbeatShirley DekinEpisode: "Where There's Smoke"2008WallanderAnita CarlmanEpisode: "Sidetracked"2008SpooksRachel BeauchampEpisode: #7.62009Above SuspicionMrs KenworthEpisode: "Part 1"2009Whatever It TakesEstelleTelevision film2011Midsomer MurdersEleanor SwanscombeEpisode: "Not in My Back Yard"2011Law & Order: UKMargaret RumsfieldEpisode: "Intent"2007–2011Holby CityNancy Overbeck / Sister John2 episodes2013DoctorsCorinne GoughEpisode: "Heston's Last Testament"2014–2015EastEndersMargot Summerhayes2 episodes2014–2016Happy ValleyHelen Gallagher7 episodes2016To Walk Invisible: The Brontë SistersAunt BranwellTelevision film2015, 2020CasualtyRosie Allen / Theresa Ashby2 episodes2022Doc MartinProfessor Judy PhillipsEpisode: "Return to Sender"2023WolfLouiseEpisode: "Night Terror"
References
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