Fenella Woolgar

Fenella Justine Therese Woolgar (born 4 August 1969) is an English film, theatre, television and radio actress. She is known for her roles in various films including Bright Young Things (2003) and Victoria and Abdul (2017). She is also well known for TV shows, including Doctor Who, as crime novelist Agatha Christie, Inside Number 9, and Call the Midwife as Sister Hilda. Early life Woolgar was born in London. Her mother is of Irish descent and she has joint UK and Irish citizenship. Woolgar's early years were spent in New Canaan, Connecticut, USA. She was educated at Mayfield School, Durham University, and then Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). At university, along with acting she directed Murder in the Cathedral in Durham Cathedral and wrote and performed comedy in The Durham Revue. Career Following Woolgar's graduation from RADA in 1999 she worked in rep at The Royal Exchange, Manchester, York Theatre Royal, Sheffield Crucible and for the BBC in both television and radio. In 2002 she was cast as Agatha in Stephen Fry's film Bright Young Things for which she was nominated for several awards. She subsequently went on to work with Mike Leigh in Vera Drake and Mr. Turner, Conor McPherson in The Veil at the National Theatre and Woody Allen in Scoop and You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger. She played Agatha Christie in Doctor Who in 2008.