Julia Watson Explained

Julia Watson (born 13 September 1953) is a British actress, known for playing Barbara 'Baz' Wilder in the BBC medical drama Casualty.^[1]

Life and career

Watson was born on 13 September 1953 in Maesteg^[2] and brought up in the Derby area.^[3] Talking about her parents in an interview with the Casualty fansite, holby.tv,^[4] she comments that they were fantastic and devoted. She cites this as reason why she feels so torn between career and family. She is married to the writer, David Harsent; they met at a dinner party and eventually married in a registry office in Fulham. They have a daughter, Hannah, born in 1990 and Watson says of her that she is their "greatest born and blessing."^[4]

Watson studied Drama and English at Exeter University.^[2] Her previous jobs included founding a Community Centre in Newcastle and working in Education at the Nottingham Theatre.^[4] In addition to her acting roles, she edited anthologies of poetry and readings for weddings, funerals and naming ceremonies.^[2]

Filmography

Television

Year	Title	Role
1979	Cries from the Watchtower	Nurse
1979	Rings on Their Fingers	The Secretary
1979	"Shoestring" Private Ear	Girl in DIsco
1979	The Way up to Heaven [S1. Ep 9]	Maid
1979-1981	Agony	Lindsay Henderson
1981	Maybury "Maisie" [S.1 Ep.10]	Jane
1981–1983	Never the Twain^[5]	Lyn Smallbridge
1985	Dempsey and Makepeace	Terry
1986, 1995–1998, 2003–2004	Casualty	Barbara Baz Wilder^[6]
1988	Across the Lake
1988	Bust
1989	A Touch of Spice^[7]
1989	The Yellow Wallpaper
1993	Lovejoy
1999–2000	Welcome to Orty-Fou
2000	This Is Your Life	Herself
2005, 2010, 2015, 2019, 2023	Doctors	Various roles
2009	Not Going Out
2010	Midsomer Murders	Christine Wakely
2024	Doctor Who	Christmas SpecialGuest role - Hilda

Radio

• The Comedy of Errors
• Shadow Play (31 May 1999 on BBC Radio 4)^[8]

Stage

• 1980s
  • Major Barbara – played Jenny Hill in a 1982 production at Lyttelton Theatre^[9]
  • Danton's Death – played Lady Eugenie in a 1984 production at Olivier Theatre
  • She Stoops to Conquer – played Kate Hardcastle in a 1985 production at National Theatre
  • An Act of Faith – played Helen in a 1985 production at National Theatre Studio
  • John Bull – played in a 1987 production at Bristol Old Vic^[10]
  • Love on the Plastic – played in a 1987 production at Half Moon Theatre
• 1990s
  • Six Fools – played in a 1992 production at Old Red Lion Theatre^[11]
  • Joking Apart – played Anthea in a 1995 production at Greenwich Theatre
• 2000s
  • Little Women – played Marmee in a 2006 touring production
  • Tosca’s Kiss – played Rebecca West in a 2006 production at Orange Tree Theatre^[12]
• 2010s
  • Amy's View – played Esme in a 2010 production at Nottingham Playhouse
  • An Ideal Husband – played Lady Chiltern in a 2010 production at Nottingham Playhouse^[13]
  • My Family and Other Animals – played Durrell's mother in a 2011 production at Theatre Royal, York
  • Love's Comedy – played Mrs Halm in a 2012 production at Orange Tree Theatre^[14]
  • The Stepmother – played Charlotte Gaydon in a 2013 production at Orange Tree Theatre^[15]
  • The Man Who Pays the Piper – played Mrs Fairley in a 2013 production at Orange Tree Theatre^[16]

Notes and References

1. Web site: BBC – Casualty – Past Characters. www.bbc.co.uk. 2016-08-14.
2. News: Naming ceremonies or christenings. Rin Simpson. Western Mail. 18 August 2005.
3. News: Mum's the word for Derbyshire actress. Anon. Derby Evening Telegraph. 3 March 2006.
4. Web site: Julia Watson. Cheryl. Griffin. 13 January 2010. 8 March 2013.
5. Web site: Never The Twain – ITV Sitcom. British Comedy Guide. en-GB. 2016-08-15.
6. Web site: BBC - Casualty - Past Characters. www.bbc.co.uk. 2019-12-30.
7. Web site: A Touch Of Spice – BBC1 Sitcom. British Comedy Guide. en-GB. 2016-08-14.
8. Web site: Radio plays . Steven Pacey. Steven Pacey. 10 March 2013 .
9. Web site: Julia Watson. Matthew. Somerville. 10 March 2013.
10. News: The Week Ahead: Theatre. Anon. The Times. 28 March 1987.
11. News: Breaking point. Martin Hoyle. The Times. 1 December 1992.
12. News: Tosca's Kiss. John Peter. John Peter (critic). The Sunday Times. 14 May 2006.
13. News: Talking to ... Elliot Cowan. Laura Silverman. The Times. 30 October 2010.
14. Web site: Love's Comedy. 10 March 2013.
15. Web site: The Stepmother. 10 March 2013.
16. Web site: The man who pays the piper. 10 March 2013.