Jill Baker Explained

Jill Baker
Birth Name:Gillian Mary Baker
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:1975–present
Children:3

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.[1]

Career

She made her debut in the TV movie Savages in 1975 and has worked steadily on television and theatre since then.[2] Her theatre work includes Sufficient Carbohydrate by Denis Potter, Goosepimples, Mike Leigh, All My Sons, all in the West End and the premiere of The Secret Rapture in 1988.[3] 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 (1983), "Last Bus to Woodstock" (An Inspector Morse TV-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.[4] She has also appeared as Lady de Lesseps in Shakespeare in Love.[5] 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.[5] [6] In 2014, she appeared in Happy Valley as Helen Gallagher.[7] Baker appeared in Only Fools and Horses in the episode "The Second Time Around", as Del Boy (David Jason)'s ex-fiancée, Pauline Harris.[8]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1987Hope and GloryFaith
1998Shakespeare in LoveLady De Lesseps
2004That Time of Year...JosephineShort film
2006Notes on a ScandalSheba's Mother
2011Salmon Fishing in the YemenBetty
2012John CarterAdditional VoiceVoice
2012Tower BlockViolet
2016A Lighthouse in Breaking WavesAliveShort film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1975SavagesAngela SmithTelevision film
1975Get Some In!AgnesEpisode: "36-Hour Pass"
1977The Cedar TreeVendeuse2 episodes
1980The 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 film
1987Harry's KingdomJilly KingTelevision film
1988Inspector MorseJennifer ColebyEpisode: "Last Bus to Woodstock"
1988BoonMrs. HainsEpisode: "The Devil You Know"
1989ScreenPlayJilly TaylorEpisode: "Testimony of a Child"
1989Tales of Sherwood ForestSarah7 episodes
1989Screen OnePriscilla BloreEpisode: "Blore M.P."
1992ScreamingRachael8 episodes
1992–1993RidesPatrice Jenner12 episodes
1994In 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 film
1998March in Windy CityDr. Prudence CoxTelevision film
1997–1998The Broker's ManClaudette Monro-Foster8 episodes
1998The Vanishing ManDr. Jeffries2 episodes
2000FishSarah Cornice6 episodes
2001The BillLisa Sharp2 episodes
2001Perfect StrangersEsther3 episodes
2003New TricksGaynor WringerEpisode: "The Chinese Job"
2003Real MenJulie FergusonTelevision film
2003Jonathan CreekDonna HenryEpisode: "The Tailor's Dummy"
2003Canterbury TalesMrs. NormanEpisode: "The Pardoner's Tale"
2004A Touch of FrostElizabeth RichfordEpisode: "Dancing in the Dark"
2004BelongingCathyTelevision film
2004Rosemary & ThymeVal ReevesEpisode: "Swords into Ploughshares"
2005Secret SmileMarcia Cotton2 episodes
2007Walking the DeadDr. Caroline Ritter2 episodes
2007Sea of SoulsAnnie Rubenstein2 episodes
2007HeartbeatShirley DekinEpisode: "Where There's Smoke"
2008WallanderAnita CarlmanEpisode: "Sidetracked"
2008SpooksRachel BeauchampEpisode: #7.6
2009Above SuspicionMrs KenworthEpisode: "Part 1"
2009Whatever It TakesEstelleTelevision film
2011Midsomer MurdersEleanor SwanscombeEpisode: "Not in My Back Yard"
2011Margaret RumsfieldEpisode: "Intent"
2007–2011Holby CityNancy OverbeckSister John2 episodes
2013DoctorsCorinne GoughEpisode: "Heston's Last Testament"
2014–2015EastEndersMargot Summerhayes2 episodes
2014–2016Happy ValleyHelen Gallagher7 episodes
2016To Walk Invisible: The Brontë SistersAunt BranwellTelevision film
2015, 2020CasualtyRosie AllenTheresa Ashby2 episodes
2022Doc MartinProfessor Judy PhillipsEpisode: "Return to Sender"

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Obituary: Bob Peck. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220608/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-bob-peck-1085978.html . 8 June 2022 . subscription . live. April 9, 1999. The Independent.
  2. Web site: Jill Baker. IMDb.
  3. Web site: CalmView: Overview. catalogue.nationaltheatre.org.uk.
  4. Web site: Jill Baker. www.lifeinlegacy.com.
  5. Web site: Jill Baker. https://web.archive.org/web/20160311213910/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba1060f5f. dead. 11 March 2016. BFI.
  6. Web site: Midsomer Murders | TV Guide. TVGuide.com.
  7. Web site: BBC One - Happy Valley, Series 1, Episode 1, Who lives in a valley like this? - Helen Gallagher. BBC.
  8. Web site: Only Fools and Horses - S1 - Episode 4: The Second Time Around. Radio Times.