Catherine Russell (British actress)

Born as Catherine Smith, Russell's father was the actor Nicholas Smith, best known for playing Mr Rumbold in the BBC sitcom Are You Being Served. Her mother, Mary Smith, was a social worker. She is married to film producer Richard Holmes whose films include Waking Ned, The Ritual, ''God's Own Country and Eden Lake''. They have two children: Sam Russell Holmes, a BBC Radio 4 comedy producer and improv comedian who co-founded the improvisational troupe Shoot from the Hip, and Poppy Holmes, a singer/songwriter. She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama from 1983 to 1986 under George Hall. ==Theatre==

Russell was nominated for an Ian Charleson Award for her performance in Chekhov's Three Sisters. She has played leads in the West End, at the National, the Royal Court, Soho Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre, Lyric, Almeida Theatre, the Royal Exchange, Manchester and the Menier Chocolate Factory. In Autumn 2023 she played Miss Havisham in the adaptation of Great Expectations by Tanika Gupta at the Royal Exchange theatre, Manchester. From October 2024 she will take over the role of Dolores Umbridge and Petunia Dursley in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre in London's West End. ==Television==

Russell has starred in several television series including playing Hugh Bonneville's sister, Rachel Cazalet, in The Cazalets; Gemma Jones's daughter, Tish, in Chelworth; the title role of Elly Chandler in Chandler & Co with Barbara Flynn and subsequently Susan Fleetwood written by Paula Milne; Nathaniel Parker's wife, Helen, in The Inspector Lynley Mysteries and Martin Shaw's wife, Issy, in Always and Everyone. She appeared in series one and two of Pete versus Life. She played Consultant Surgeon Serena Campbell in the BBC medical drama Holby City, from May 2012 to January 2020 and again in February 2022. Other television includes guest appearances in Messiah, ''Agatha Christie's Poirot, Waking the Dead, Sherlock Holmes, Maigret, Silent Witness, Holding On'' and The Chelsea Detective. ==Film==

Russell starred opposite Ian Hart in the film Clockwork Mice directed by Vadim Jean. She also made a comic, cameo appearance playing a colleague of Colin Firth's in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason directed by Beeban Kidron. Her other films include Solitaire for Two and Soft Top Hard Shoulder. ==References==