Sophie Rundle is absolutely incredible as the music teacher Emily who desperately wants to be a mother in The Nest, so much so that she turns to a teenager to be a surrogate for the baby. Fans of the series might well recognise the actress, who has had some seriously impressive TV roles over the years. So what else has the star appeared in? Here's everything you need to know, and meet the rest of the cast here...
Happy Valley
Sophie had a small but hugely important role in Happy Valley season one as Kirsten, a police officer who is something of a protégé to Sergeant Catherine Cawood. However (and spoiler alert to those who have yet to watch the excellent BBC drama), her storyline comes to a dramatic end when she unwittingly pulls over two kidnappers Tommy Lee Royce and Lewis Whippey, who were taking their hostage to a second location. After hearing the hostage shouting for help, Tommy hits Kristen with their car, brutally killing her. Her murder then becomes a key part of the plot as Catherine attempts to discover who committed the crime, while blaming herself for Kirsten's death.
Sophie played Kirsten in Happy Valley
READ: BBC's The Nest viewers have the same problem with latest episode
Gentleman Jack
In Gentleman Jack, Sophie plays Ann Walker, a real-life person who was in a relationship with Anne Lister (played by Suranne Jones). In the show, Ann is a mild-mannered, kind person who struggles with mental illness, which begins to unravel as the series progresses. Speaking about the role, and working with Suranne, Sophie previously told the Evening Standard: "I think we’re a really good foil for each other. She’s a very tall, striking, dark-haired presence, and I’m very soft, feminine and fair."
Sophie played Ann in Gentleman Jack
Both Happy Valley and Gentleman Jack were created by Sally Wainwright, and Sophie also spoke in praise of her, saying: "I could just wax lyrical about Sally all day. She’s one of the best writers we have in the country. Gentleman Jack’s got a sense of humour, and it takes everything with a pinch of salt. It’s a bit rock ’n’ roll, it’s a bit cool, it’s high-brow, smart intelligent drama."
WATCH: Gentleman Jack proposal scene
Peaky Blinders
In Peaky Blinders Sophie plays Ada Shelby, Tommy's younger sister who is unimpressed and often frustrated by their crime business, and refuses to take orders from her brother, much to his frustration. Ada ties the knot with Tommy's ex-best friend Freddie, who dies from illness. Raising her son as a single mother, she eventually heads up the legal side of the Peaky Blinder business in New York.
Ada Shelby is Tommy's only sister
READ: Fans already think they have BBC's The Nest plot twist figured out
Jamestown
In Jamestown, Sophie plays Alice Kett, a farm girl betrothed to Henry Sharrow, who eventually marries his brother, Silas Sharrow. It was on the set of the period drama, which ran for three seasons, where she met her fiancé Matt Stokoe, who played James Read in the show. Speaking about their upcoming nuptials to You magazine, she said: "I’m not a very good bride-to-be. I poked my head into the world of big wedding productions and was, like, “Nope!' We’ll figure something out. My parents have seen me in a wedding dress with big hair on screen so many times, they’re just not that interested."
WATCH: The trailer for Jamestown
Elizabeth is Missing
Sophie plays Sukey Jefford, Maud's older sister who went missing 70 years earlier, in a series of flashbacks. In the show, Maud is suffering from dementia, and so keeps confusing and linking together the disappearance of her friend, Elizabeth, and Sukey's disappearance from years before. Needless to say, Sophie's role is an essential part of all of the mysteries finally being solved!
Sophie plays Sukey in Elizabeth is Missing
Bodyguard
The BBC smash hit stars Sophie as Vicky, David's wife who works as a ward sister and has split from David as his struggles with PTSD since returning from Afghanistan permanently affected their marriage. Speaking about whether she will appear in season two, she told Metro: "‘I don’t think they trust actors for that kind of information. I don’t know anything. It was only ever supposed to be a one off so it’ll be dependent on millions of things if we were to go again."
We hope Sophie will be back for Bodyguard season two
