Although Ruth Gemmell has worked in film and television, she’s more famous for her TV shows. Interestingly, Gemmell’s first notable project, the 1997 Fever Pitch, was a movie in which she co-starred with Colin Firth. Afterward, Gemmell began landing more roles on television.
With a career of over 30 years, Ruth Gemmell has worked in theater, film, and television. The English actress is famous for portraying the matriarch of the Bridgerton family, Lady Violet Bridgerton. Here’s a look at Ruth Gemmell’s career through her most notable roles in TV shows.
Silent Witness
The BBC One British crime drama Silent Witness wasn’t Ruth Gemmell‘s first work on television. However, it counts as her first notable work on the small screen. Gemmell joined the series in series 1 in 1996 in a recurring role as Detective Constable Kerry Cox. However, the character was killed off the show by the series finale in an accident. Gemmell returned to the show a decade later, in 2006, in a new role.
Ruth Gemmell appeared as DI Beth Ashdown in a single episode (“Terminus: Part 2”). With the show still on air, Gemmell returned in 2014 in season 17 in an entirely new role. In season 17, she appeared as Ellie Brooke in 2 episodes (“Undertone: Parts 1 & 2”). Silent Witness is still being aired and had its season 27 premiere in January 2024.
Tracy Beaker: The Movie of Me
Years before Ruth Gemmell would play the Bridgerton matriarch, she was famous as Tracy Beaker (Dani Harmer) in Tracy Beaker: The Movie of Me (2004). If anything, fans and audiences of the TV movie would agree that Tracy Beaker wasn’t lying after all when she said her mother was a famous actress! Tracy Beaker: The Movie of Me was a spin-off of The Story of Tracy Beaker TV series. It was the first time audiences had a live-action representation of Tracy Beaker’s mother. With the movie broadcast on BBC One, Ruth Gemmell as Carly Beaker is more popular with British audiences than international audiences.
EastEnders
Ruth Gemmell also joins the list of actors who appeared in the award-winning British soap opera EastEnders. Gemmell made her debut on the show on January 5, 2009, and she was introduced as Debra Dean, Whitney Dean’s (Shona McGarty) biological mother. Debra Dean left Whitney with Whitney’s biological father when she was young. Gemmell’s character was introduced to see if Whitney could reconnect with her birth mother. However, after a twisted turn of events, Gemmell’s Debra Dean decided it was best to stay away. Ruth Gemmell appeared in 11 episodes of EastEnders, with her final appearance on July 24, 2009.
Utopia
Ruth Gemmell was cast in a recurring role in the Channel 4 British thriller drama series Utopia. Gemmell played Jen Dugdale, Michael Dugdale’s (Paul Higgins) wife. Her storyline was about a wife desperately in need of a child. Despite several attempts at IVF, none had been successful. On the other hand, while trying to be a supportive husband, Micheal is being blackmailed over his affair with a Russian prostitute by The Network. Gemmell appeared in 9 of the show’s 12 episodes, which aired for 2 seasons.
Penny Dreadful
Ruth Gemmell joined the cast of Showtime’s horror drama series in season 2 as Octavia Putney. Her character was introduced in a recurring role as the wife of Oscar Putney (David Haig) and mother of the blind Lavinia Putney (Tamsin Topolski). Octavia Putney was a businesswoman, although her husband was the face of the wax museum business. She was reluctant to hire the John Clare/Creature (Rory Kinnear) in the business as she feared his disfigured face would drive away customers. With the museum struggling financially, she is forced to hire John Clare. However, this did not stop her from making remarks and treating him cruelly. Gemmell’s character appeared in 5 of the 10 episodes of season 2.
Home Fires
In the ITV British period drama Home Fires (2015–2016), Ruth Gemmell was cast in a major role as Sarah Collingborne. Gemmell’s character was the wife of the local vicar and Frances Barden’s (Samantha Bond) sister. Like her sister, who was its leader, Sarah Collingborne was also a member of the Women’s Institute. The series was set during World War II. Despite a growth in viewership in season 2, ITV announced it would not renew Home Fires for a third season.
After its finale, Ruth Gemmell only appeared in two guest roles before joining the cast of Bridgerton. In 2017, she appeared in Ramson before starring in 2 episodes of Doctors the next year. As Lady Violet Bridgerton, Ruth Gemmell is one of the audience’s favorites. Not only has Gemmell reprised the role in all three released seasons of the show, but she also played the character in the show’s 2023 prequel/spin-off Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. If you recognized Ruth Gemmell from these TV shows, check out Polly Walker’s (Lady Portia Featherington) top movies and TV shows.
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