Annabel Scholey as Anne-Marie Blake in The Sixth Commandment© Amanda Searle,BBC

The Sixth Commandment star Annabel Scholey has a famous husband

The actress is married to a Northern Irish actor

TV and film writer
July 19, 2023

The BBC's highly-anticipated new true-crime drama, The Sixth Commandment, premiered on Monday night. The four-parter explores the deaths of Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin in the village of Maids Moreton in Buckinghamshire and the subsequent events that unfolded in the following years. 

Starring in the drama alongside Timothy Spall, Anne Reid and Éanna Hardwicke is actress Annabel Scholey, who is perhaps best known for playing Nina Defoe in the BBC's legal drama, The Split. But did you know that Annabel's other half is also a star of the small screen? 

WATCH: Timothy Spall and Anne Reid star in the drama

Who is Annabel Scholey?

Annabel Scholey is an actress from Wakefield in West Yorkshire.

Her most notable roles include Lauren Drake in the BBC supernatural drama, Being Human, Sarah Bailey in BBC One's The Salisbury Poisonings, and Nina Defoe in The Split

© Amanda Searle

Annabel Scholey plays Anne-Marie Blake in The Sixth Commandment

She also played the lead role in the musical film, Walking on Sunshine. 

Annabel, 39, also boasts an impressive list of theatre credits, having appeared in the 2013 revival of Passion Play by Peter Nichols, and Sam Mendes' adaptation of Richard III in both London and New York. 

MORE: The Sixth Commandment: viewers saying same thing about BBC drama starring Timothy Spall

MORE: World on Fire: viewers saying same thing about season 2 debut of BBC drama

© Sky

Annabel Scholey as Maddie and, Hannah Arterton as Taylor in Walking On Sunshine

Who is Annabel Scholey's husband?

Annabel Scholey is married to actor Ciarán McMenamin. 

Ciarán, who hails from Northern Ireland, has appeared in various TV dramas over the years and is currently starring in the BBC's Northern Irish crime drama, Hope Street. 

He may also be recognised for playing Matt Anderson in the sci-fi series, Primeval.

© Dan Wooller/Shutterstock

Ciaran and Annabel have been married since 2017

The 47-year-old has made one-episode appearances in various popular shows, including Death in Paradise, Midsomer Murders, Lewis and Agatha Christie's Marple. He also portrayed a character named Rhys in the long-running crime drama, Silent Witness, in 2008. 

In 1999, the actor was cast in the title role of BBC One's TV movie, David Copperfield, which also starred Maggie Smith and Imelda Staunton. Another of his major roles is in the ITV medical drama, The Golden Hour, in which he starred as Dr. Paul Keane alongside Richard Armitage. 

Away from acting, Ciarán is a successful author and has published two novels. His debut book, Skintown, which was released in 2018, was compared to Irvine Welsh's cult novel Trainspotting.

© ITV/Shutterstock

Ciaran McMenamin played Nick Addams in the TV show, Lewis

Three years later, he published his second novel, The Sunken Road.

Annabel and Ciarán first crossed paths when she was in the audience at one of his plays and were later set up on a blind date by a mutual friend. Talking to The Belfast Telegraph about when they first met, Annabel said: "He was performing at the National Theatre and I was in the audience, and I thought 'he's nice'.

"Some time later, I was moaning about my love life and my friend suggested Ciaran. I thought, 'yeah I like him... I'm a big fan of the Irish accent like so many other women'. So, we had a semi-blind date, and then we just dated, which is quite rare but nice."

© James Pardon

Annabel Scholey in Doctor Who

The couple tied the knot in May 2017 and later went on to welcome a daughter named Marnie. 

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