Eva Rebecca Pope (born 16 November 1967) is an English actress, best known for her portrayal of longest-serving headmistress Rachel Mason in Waterloo Road, and appearances in Coronation Street, Dream Team, Bad Girls and Hetty Feather.

Eva Pope
Born (1967-11-16) 16 November 1967 (age 57)
OccupationActress
Years active1990–present
Spouse
Laurence Lassalle
(m. 1994; div. 2004)
[1]
Children1
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life and education

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Eva Pope was born in Appley Bridge, Wigan, Lancashire on 16 November 1967. She trained to be an actress at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art,[2] graduating in 1988.

Career

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Pope's first major role was playing the villainous Tanya Pooley in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street from 1993 to 1994. Since then, she has made appearances in Cold Feet, The Bill, Heartbeat, Peak Practice (as Claire Brightwell), Men of the World, Holby City, Casualty, Strictly Confidential, Adventure Inc., Vincent (as Cathy Gallagher), Bad Girls as prison governess Frances Myers, Life on Mars, Sorted, Spooks: Code 9 and the film Shadow Man.[3] From November 2007 to July 2010, she appeared as headteacher Rachel Mason in the BBC One school-based drama series Waterloo Road.[4]

Pope's theatre credits include roles in The Comedy of Errors, Turkey Time and Hobson's Choice. She is a regular performer and was part of the original cast of Seven Deadly Sins Four Deadly Sinners and in November 2007, appeared at the Théâtre Princesse Grace, Monte Carlo, directed by Marc Sinden, as part of his British Theatre Season, Monaco.

In March 2011, Pope starred as Ellie in the BBC One daytime drama 32 Brinkburn Street. She starred in Being Sold the Movie, which premiered on 19 June 2011. On 13 August 2011, Eva Pope starred as policewoman Simone Grayson on Casualty in the first episode of series 26. She appeared in the third series of Moving On on 16 November 2011 playing Michelle. In 2017, she appeared in Season 20 Episodes 5 and 6 of the BBC forensic drama series Silent Witness as DI Heather Ashton. She played Matron "Gertie" Bottomly in CBBC's adaptation of Hetty Feather, based on the book of the same name by Jacqueline Wilson, for five years.

In 2019, Pope appeared in Deep Cuts as Bridget McFadden.[5]

Pope is also a noted voice-over artist whose credits include Raymond Blanc's Kitchen Secrets and a number of audiobooks.[6]

Personal life

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In 1994, Pope was married to graphic designer Laurence Lassalle, with whom she has a daughter.[7] They divorced in 2004. Pope is a grandmother.[8] She is a vegan.[9]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1998 Holiday Romance Victoria Short film
2001 Denial Doctor
2006 Shadow Man Anya
Splinter Dr. Lexington
2007 Natasha Elaine
2008 Searching Lillian
2011 Being Sold Lara Foster
Gee Gee Susan Short film
2015 Route Canal Caroline
2016 The Interrogation of Olivia Donovan Sarah Hardy
2022 Camaleonte Arabella

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1993–1994 Coronation Street Tanya Pooley Regular role; 142 episodes
1995 Men of the World Becky 5 episodes
1996 Ellington Lara Episode: "Matchmaker"
Under the Skin Lisa Television film
Casualty Josie Barker Episode: "Do You Believe in Fairies?"
1997 Heartbeat Sharma Episode: "Peace and Quiet"
Peak Practice Sally Gillespie Episode: "Lost Feelings"
1997–1998 Dream Team Stephanie Jacobs Regular role; 64 episodes
1998 Grafters Janice 2 episodes
Cold Feet Trixie Series 1: Episode 3
McCallum Dr. Charley Fielding Episode: "Beyond Good and Evil"
1999 Four Fathers Kathy Starkie TV mini-series; all 3 episodes
2000 Peak Practice Karen Episode: "And Then There Were Two"
The Bill Geraldine/Linda Episode: "Scoop"
My Fragile Heart Ruby Mason Television film
2001–2002 Peak Practice Claire Brightwell Main role; 13 episodes
2002 Nice Guy Eddie Susannah King Series 1: Episode 3
2003 Adventure Inc. Fiona Gray Episode: "Legacy of a Pirate"
The Eustace Bros. Catherine Series 1: Episode 2
Holby City Caroline Dewer Episodes: "Love Nor Money" and "Just Getting By"
2004 Bad Girls Frances Myers Main role; Series 6 (12 episodes)
2005 Vincent Cathy Gallagher 2 episodes
2006 Dalziel and Pascoe Jane Caulfield Episodes: "Guardian Angel: Parts 1 & 2"
Sorted Kathy All 6 episodes
Strictly Confidential DS Angie Morton
2007 Life on Mars Carol Twilling Series 2: Episode 4
2007–2010 Waterloo Road Rachel Mason Regular role; 52 episodes
2008 Spooks: Code 9 Hamilton Series 1: Episode 5
2010-2011 Raymond Blanc's Kitchen Secrets Narrator Television series
2011 32 Brinkburn Street Ellie TV mini-series; all 5 episodes
Casualty Simone Grayson Episode: "Partners"
Law & Order: UK Renay Everett Episode: "Line Up"
Moving On Michelle Episode: "Punter"
2013 Holby City Laura Edison 3 episodes
2015 New Tricks Clara Bishop Episode: "The Fame Game"
2015–2020 Hetty Feather Matron Bottomly Regular role; 33 episodes
2016 The Dumping Ground Episode: "Floss the Foundling"
2017 Silent Witness DI Heather Ashton Episodes: "Remembrance: Parts 1 & 2"
2019 Deep Cuts Bridget McFadden TV mini-series; all 3 episodes
2022 Somewhere Boy Angie Series 1 episode 2
2023 Maternal Sally Thomason Series 1 episode 2

References

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  1. ^ "Interview: Eva Pope - Why Eva's shaken to the core; Eva Pope has a tough decision to make. Should she launch her career in the Big Apple or have another baby? - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com.
  2. ^ Staff (12 January 2002). "In the Frame: Eva Pope". Daily Post.
  3. ^ "EVA’S PAST COMES BACK TO HAUNT HER" Peak Practice web site
  4. ^ "Waterloo Road – Eva Pope plays Rachel Mason" Press release at BBC web site
  5. ^ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3772456/characters/nm0691116 [user-generated source]
  6. ^ "Eva Pope". anthearepresents.com. Retrieved 13 October 2022. - Lancashire actress and voiceover artist known for roles in popular TV shows such as Peak Practice, Coronation Street, Waterloo Road, Bad Girls, Silent Witness, and CBBC's Hetty Feather, and as 'Herself' in the stage production of Still Alice'
  7. ^ "EVA SO SEDUCTIVE". 22 January 2002. Archived from the original on 22 January 2002.
  8. ^ @evapope (13 February 2022). "How lucky am I?!💖💖 A second beautiful granddaughter, Lumi (thanks my darling ⁦@eliselassalle⁩) Patiently waiting to…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ^ Eva Pope [@evapope] (6 January 2018). "You know what @piersmorgan - I'm Vegan as are many of my loved ones. I also love most animals - but you're one I'd just love to see roasted on a spit. That would be justice" (Tweet). Retrieved 29 August 2022 – via Twitter.
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