Julia Hills

Julia Hills (b. 3 April 1957) is a British actress, known for being a member of the cast of the Channel 4 late-night comedy sketch show "Who Dares Wins" in the 1980s. She also played the character of Rona, the man-hungry neighbour, in nine series of the BBC hit sitcom "2point4 Children".

Early life and career

Hills was born in Nottingham and is a former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company where she played many leading roles including Sally Forth in the premiere of Peter Nichols' musical "Poppy". Perdita in "The Winters Tale" and Diana in "Alls Well That Ends Well" directed by Trevor Nunn. She also played Edwin Drood in the New York Shakespeare Theatre production of "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" at the Savoy Theatre in 1987 playing opposite Lulu and Ernie Wise.

Theatre work

She was nominated for an Olivier Award (Actress of the Year in a Musical) in 1984 for her performance as Emily Tallentire in Howard Goodall and Melvyn Bragg's "The Hired Man".

Other theatre credits include Eve in 'Flying Under Bridges' by Sandi Toksvig adapted by Sarah Daniels (Watford Palace Theatre) Betty in 'Larkin with Women' (Coventry Belgrade) Vera in 'Stepping Out' (New Vic Theatre Stoke), 'The Hired Man' (Leicester Haymarket and West End), 'A Midsummer Nights Dream' (RSC Stratford and Barbican) Rusty in 'Our Friends in the North' by Peter Flannery (RSC Newcastle and Barbican), 'The Witch of Edmonton' (RSC Stratford), 'Beside Herself' by Sarah Daniels (Royal Court), 'We The Undersigned', 'Dealing With Clair' by Martin Crimp (Orange Tree Richmond), Toine in 'Piaf', 'Beauty and the Beast', 'Guys and Dolls', 'The Tempest', Sylvia Raven in 'The Philanderer', 'Beside The Sea', Susannah in 'Bedroom Farce', 'A Mad World my Masters', Dorcas Frey in 'Plenty' (Bristol Old Vic) 'A Midsummer Nights Dream' (Bristol Old Vic and London Old Vic), 'Mr Puntila and his Man Matti', 'Does This Train Stop at Southend?' (Stratford East), Bunty Mainwaring in 'The Vortex', 'Shore Saints and Sea Devils' (Library Theatre Manchester), 'Fertility Dance' (Nuffield Southampton), 'Jack and the Beanstalk' (York Theatre Royal) and two national tours of 'Who Dares Wins – Sex and Drugs and Sausage Roll'.

Television work

She has appeared in many TV shows, most notably as Caroline Joyner in the hospital drama "Casualty", but also playing Beryl Hook in two series of "Dad" for the BBC with George Cole and Kevin McNally. She has played regular leading roles such as Julia in two series of "The Refuge" for Yorkshire TV, Babs Palmer in the Thames TV series "Ladies in Charge" and Nicholas Hoult's Mum in "Star".

Other TV credits include, six series playing all of the women and some of the men in Channel 4’s 'Who Dares Wins'. 'The Roman Mysteries', 'All In The Game', 'Chain', 'The Lost Tribe', 'Peak Practice', 'Murphy’s Law', 'Trevor’s World of Sport', 'Haggard', 'Murder in Suburbia', 'The Lenny Henry Show', 'Boon', 'Wipeout', 'Doctors', 'Family Affairs', 'Young Yung', 'The Bretts', 'A Winter Harvest', 'Reith', 'Come Dancing with Jools Holland', 'Ten Glorious Years', and 'The Good Sex Guide'.

Julia is currentlywhen to be heard on radio as Annabelle Shrivener in The Archers and has appeared in many radio plays including 'Falco', 'Revolting People', 'Julie and the Prince', 'Earth Song', 'It Started With a Click', 'Dealing With Clair', 'The Culper Tapes', 'Saturday Night Fry', 'The Rainbow Bridge', 'Gilbert Without Sullivan', 'The Lost Child', 'The Walsall Boys', 'Book at Bedtime', 'Our Man in Havana' and 'Life Death and Sex with Sue and Mike'.

Her films include Homeground.

She has justwhen opened in "Calendar Girls" at Chichester Festival Theatre where she plays Ruth. The production plays at Chichester until 27th September and then goes out on tour to Glasgow, Bradford, Manchester, Edinburgh, High Wycombe, Cambridge, Bath, Canterbury, Malvern and Plymouth. She is married to Actor/Director Paul Clarkson who played John Tallentire in "The Hired Man". They have been married for 23 years and have three children.

References

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