Emma Cunniffe (born 3 July 1973) is an English film, stage and television actress.
Early life Cunniffe was raised in Frodsham, Cheshire.
Career
Her television credits include H is for Hawk, Marble Hall Murders, A Very Royal Scandal, The Lakes, Biddy in the BBC adaptation of Great Expectations, All the King's Men starring alongside Maggie Smith and David Jason, Clash of the Santas, alongside Robson Green and Mark Benton, Clocking Off (BBC), and Flesh and Blood
She also appeared in the sixth series Doctor Who episode "Night Terrors", alongside the Eleventh Doctor played by Matt Smith. She appeared in the BBC documentary The Genius of Mozart as Constanze, Wolfgang's wife. In 2009, she played Carol Boynton in the ITV adaptation of Appointment with Death, in series 11 of Agatha Christie's Poirot. In mid-2014, she played DS Hawthorn in Coronation Street, investigating the circumstances of the attack on and subsequent death of Tina McIntyre (Michelle Keegan).
Other tv credits include Roadkill with Hugh Laurie, and The Mezzotint directed by Mark Gatiss,
On stage, she won the UK Theatre Awards for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as Hilda in The Master Builder and received a commendation for the same role at the Ian Charleson Awards in 1999. Her other stage work includes Tales from Hollywood at the Donmar Warehouse, The Entertainer at The Old Vic, Losing Louis at the Trafalgar Studios in London and in 2006 Women Beware Women for the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon. She was nominated for "what's on stage" award in 2011 for her role as Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible at Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park.
She played Nora in Ibsen's A Dolls House in 2011 at The Lowry theatre in Manchester.
She has worked at The Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester in various productions including Twelfth Night, Major Barbara, Three Sisters, Edward II and The Importance of Being Earnest.
In 2015, she starred as Queen Anne the eponymous monarch and received critical acclaim in the RSC's production of Helen Edmundson's Queen Anne. This production transferred to the Haymarket theatre in the West End in 2017.
Personal life Cunniffe lives in London. She married Rufus Jones in 2008.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1994 Cracker Sarah Jennings TV series 1996 Cuts Karen TV film 1997 The Ruby Ring Noreen/Nellie 1998 Among Giants Barmaid1999 Great Expectations Biddy TV film Underground Caz Dreaming of Joseph Lees Red-Haired Girl Tube Tales Drained Young Woman TV film All the King's Men Peggy Batterbee2000 Blue Murder Vanessa Innocents Sharon Peacock2001 The Whistle-Blower Kathy Enfield Love or Money Samantha2002 The Cry Christine Rearden Plain Jane Jane Flesh and Blood Cath Broughton2004 Rabbit on the Moon Tania Bower Undone Laura Short film 2005 Cherished Claire Connolly TV film 2008 Clash of the Santas Alice 2014 MOTH (Man of the House) Ruth Short film 2020 Miss Marx Laura Marx 2021 The Mezzotint Mrs. Filcher TV film 2025 H Is for Hawk Mandy
Television Year Title Role Notes1994 Woof! Minicab Girl Episode: "Get Me to the Church" Cracker Sarah Jennings Episode: "The Big Crunch"1995 The Upper Hand Nurse Episode: "Second Thoughts" Dangerfield Penny Noakes Episode: "The Norfolk Holiday" The Bill Annie Barlow Episode: "A Quiet Night In"1996 The 10%ers Vanessa Series 2 A Touch of Frost Michelle Robins Episode: "Paying the Price" Hetty Wainthropp Investigates Chrissie Episode: "Safe as Houses" Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's... Avril Episode: "Don't Dilly Dally on the Way" Life After Birth Alison Series regular, 6 episodes 1997 Dalziel and Pascoe Karen Spillings Episode: "Exit Lanes" 1997–1999 The Lakes Emma Kavanagh Series regular, 13 episodes 1998 Maisie Raine Cheryl Slayburn Episode: "A Blast from the Past" 2002 Clocking Off Kim Anderson Recurring role, 3 episodes2004 The Genius of Mozart Constanze Mozart Mini-series, 3 episodes Silent Witness Rosa Christie Episode: "Body 21"2006 New Tricks D.S. Tina Murray Episode: "Diamond Geezers" Holby City Hazel Keel Episode: "Just Another Day" 2007 John and Karen Karen TV short2008 Banged Up Abroad Camilla Episode: "Nightmare in Chechnya" Agatha Christie's Poirot Carol Boynton Episode: "Appointment with Death" Place of Execution Ruth Hawkin Mini-series, 3 episodes Casualty Karen Clarkson Episode: "Someone's Lucky Night" Midsomer Murders Sally Fielding Episode: "Blood Wedding" 2009 The Bill Maggie Reaney Episode: "Fall Out"2011 Casualty Detective Inspector Joanne Collins Episode: "Boys Will Be Boys" Doctor Who Claire Episode: "Night Terrors" 2012 Good Cop Eva Bays Mini-series, 1 episode2013 The Other Child Emma Beckett Mini-series, 2 episodes Jo Anabelle Episode: "Place Vendôme" Southcliffe Annie Gould Mini-series, 3 episodes Moving On Louise Episode: "Hush Little Baby" 2014 Coronation Street D.S. Hawthorn Recurring role, 13 episodes2015 Father Brown Mrs. Mabel Grayson Episode: "The Truth in the Wine" Waterloo Road Ailsa Calhoun Recurring role, 2 episodes Inspector George Gently Anita Magath Episode: "Gently Among Friends" Holby City Elaine Owen Episode: "Spiral Staircases" Lewis Bryony Willet Episode: "One for Sorrow" 2016 Midsomer Murders Reverend Melissa Ackers Episode: "Habeas Corpus" 2017 Unforgotten Janet Recurring role, 4 episodes 2019 Doctors Dr. Janet Fielding2020 Silent Witness Jess Fisher Episode: "Deadhead" Endeavour Rosemary Prince Episode: "Raga" Roadkill Sydney Mini-series, 4 episodes2021 The Irregulars Laura Machin Episode: "The Ghosts of 221B" Agatha Raisin Fran Tamworthy Episode: "Kissing Christmas Goodbye" The MezzotintMrs FilcherTelevision film 2023 Doctors Christine Barker-Smith Episode: "A Matter of a Moment" 2026 Betrayal Eve Hardy
Theatre credits Year Title Role Venue Ref 1996 Hamlet Ophelia UK Tour 1997 Caravan Kelly Bush Theatre, London 1999 The Master Builder UK Tour 2001 Tales from Hollywood Donmar Warehouse, London 2002 A Buyer's Market Rosie Delaware Bush Theatre, London 2003 Les Liaisons Dangereuses Madame de Tourvel Bristol Old Vic, Bristol Twelfth Night Viola Royal Exchange, Manchester 2004 Major Barbara Major Barbara Undershaft 2005 As You Like It Rosalind Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Losing Louis Bobbie Ellis Hampstead Theatre, London & Trafalgar Theatre, London 2006 Women Beware Women Isabella Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon The Glass Room Tara Hampstead Theatre, London 2007 The Entertainer Jean The Old Vic, London 2008 Three Sisters Masha Royal Exchange, Manchester UPDATED January 13, 20132009 Educating Rita Rita Citizens Theatre, Glasgow Amongst Friends Caitlin Hampstead Theatre, London 2010 The Crucible Elizabeth Proctor Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London Dumb Show Liz Rose Theatre Kingston, Kingston upon Thames 2011 Edward II Isabella of France Royal Exchange, Manchester A Doll's House Nora Helmer The Lowry, Salford 2012 The Conquest of the South Pole La Braukmann Arcola Theatre, London 2013 Proof Claire Menier Chocolate Factory, London Wendy & Peter Pan Mrs. Darling Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon 2017 Queen Anne Anne, Queen of Great Britain Theatre Royal Haymarket, London 2018 The Art of Success Louisa Rose Theatre Kingston, Kingston upon Thames The Taste of the Town Mrs. Bascombe 2021 Romeo and Juliet Nurse Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London
References
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