Tessa Wyatt

Tessa Wyatt
Born
Woking, Surrey, England
OccupationActress
Years active1960–present
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1972; div. 1977)​
Bill Harkness
​
(m. 1986)​
PartnerRichard O'Sullivan (1978–1985)
Children4

Tessa Wyatt is an English actress best known for her role as Vicky Tripp (née Nicholls) on the ITV sitcom Robin's Nest.

Early life

Wyatt was born in Woking, Surrey and attended Elmhurst Ballet School. She was encouraged to act by her maternal grandmother and got her first professional job at the age of 12, appearing in a television programme featuring Richard Hearne's Mr. Pastry character. Soon after, she was represented by an agent.

Career

Wyatt's early television appearances include parts in Z-Cars, The Wednesday Play, Tales of Unease, ('Suspicious Ignorance', episode), Public Eye, Callan, Dixon of Dock Green, Doctor at Large, Play for Today, and UFO. Her film appearances include Wedding Night (1970), the cult horror film The Beast in the Cellar (1970) and Spy Story (1976). Wyatt claimed during a 2013 interview that while filming England Made Me (1973) opposite Peter Finch and Michael York, as a young actress alone abroad the "pervy director" Peter Duffell tried to coerce her into unnecessarily stripping naked for a scene.[1]

From 1977 to 1981, Wyatt played Vicky Nicholls, later Tripp, in the ITV sitcom Robin's Nest. Her on-screen boyfriend Robin Tripp was played by Richard O'Sullivan. Following Robin's Nest, Wyatt appeared in Return of the Saint, Boon and 2point4 Children.

Wyatt was part of the original cast of the Channel Five soap opera Family Affairs, playing Samantha Cockerill. Since 2000 she has also appeared in Casualty and Doctors. She appeared in the fifth series of Peep Show as Jeremy's mother and was Tom's love interest in an episode of The Old Guys opposite Roger Lloyd-Pack and Clive Swift. In 2013, she joined the cast of EastEnders, playing Betty Spragg.[2] She made a second appearance on the BBC series Doctors on 19 May 2015 alongside George Layton, another sitcom stalwart from the 1970s.

Personal life

In 1972, Wyatt married radio DJ Tony Blackburn, with whom she had a son, Simon, born in 1973.[3] The couple divorced in 1977.[4]

For seven years from 1978, Wyatt was in a relationship with her Robin's Nest co-star Richard O'Sullivan, with whom she had a son, Jamie.[citation needed]

She married property developer Bill Harkness at the Hammersmith register office in 1986, and they have two children.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ Seymour, Ruth (2 July 2013). "New star of Eastenders, Tess Wyatt 'still haunted' by marriage to Tony Blackburn". Daily Express. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  2. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (13 June 2013). "'EastEnders' unveils new characters Ollie and Betty". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  3. ^ "Tony Blackburn: BBC presenter's career spans six decades". The Guardian. Press Association. 25 February 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  4. ^ Blackburn, Tony (28 September 2007). "Hedonism, addiction and 300 one nights stands – the confessions of Tony Blackburn". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2 September 2022.