She's known and adored for portraying the role as brutally honest and witty Raquel Trotter in beloved sitcom Only Fools and Horses, but in recent times Tessa Peake-Jones has been portraying Mrs Sylvia Chapman in ITV's Grantchester. Ahead of the new show, Only Fools and Horses: Secrets & Scandals, find out more about her here...
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It's clear the actress' professional life is well documented, but less is known about her personal life, including her relationship Douglas Hodge – with whom she shared a surprising Only Fools and Horses connection. Find out more about her relationship history here...
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Tessa was in a long-term relationship with fellow actor, Douglas, who in fact portrayed Tessa's on-screen son in Only Fools and Horses. In a special episode of the sitcom, titled Heroes and Villains, which aired in 1996, Douglas took on the role as an adult Damien Trotter, the son of Derek 'Del' Trotter (portrayed by David Jason) and Tessa's character, Raquel.
Their worlds collided on the set of Only Fools, but Douglas and Tessa were already in a long-term relationship. Prior to their separation, they were together for almost 30 years. The pair share two children together, Charlie and Mollie Rose. However, Tessa and Douglas announced their split in 2013.
Tessa with her fellow cast members Only Fools and Horses
Fans might also recognise Douglas thanks to his work in films such as Vanity Fair, Red Sparrow, Diana and 2021 Oscar-winning film, Joker. His TV work includes, The Night Manager, Penny Dreadful, Unforgotten, The Great and Black Mirror. He's also an esteemed theatre actor.
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Meanwhile, fans can enjoy watching Tessa in her role as Sylvia in Grantchester. Chatting about her character to Radio Times, she previously said: "She is a very private woman and keeps this personal illness to herself for as long as possible," she told RadioTimes.com. "She will be faced by some demons this series and will be challenged with how she's going to handle this."
Tessa now plays Sylvia in Grantchester
"Her intentions are good in not telling her loved ones but it makes them question 'What on earth is the matter with her?' Jack has no idea what's going on with Mrs C and he is actually a bit paranoid and suspicious about her behaviour and that she might be seeing someone else or heaven forbid, having an affair."
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