Caroline Anne Owens (born 1966), known professionally as Caroline Harker, is an English actress. She has appeared in British television series including A Touch of Frost, Holding On, Keeping Mum and Doctors. In 2025, she joined the cast of the ITV1 soap opera Emmerdale as Dr. Caitlin Todd.
Caroline Harker | |
|---|---|
| Born | Caroline Anne Owens 1966 (age 59–60) London, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Spouse | Anthony Calf |
| Children | 3 |
| Mother | Polly Adams |
| Relatives | Susannah Harker (sister) Joseph Harker (great-great-grandfather) |
Early life
editHarker was born in London, a daughter of actress Polly Adams and actor Richard Owens. She and her sisters, Nelly and Susannah, were brought up as Catholics and educated at a "strict" independent convent boarding school run by nuns in Sussex, and at the Central School of Speech and Drama in north London.[1] Harker and her sisters descend from theatrical designer Joseph Harker.[2]
Career
editHarker is known for her roles as Celia in the BBC's Middlemarch, and as Woman Police Constable (WPC) (later Detective Sgt.) Hazel Wallace in the ITV police drama A Touch of Frost (1992–2003).[3] She also played Alicia Davenport in Coronation Street for four episodes in 2012.[3]
Harker played the role of "Mother" in the Mike Kenny's adaptation of The Railway Children, directed by Damian Cruden and staged at the Waterloo International railway station. Harker is married to fellow actor Anthony Calf, with whom she appeared in The Madness of King George[4] and in a TV adaptation of Jilly Cooper's Riders[5] They have three daughters.
From January 2023, Harker starred as Clairee in a production of Steel Magnolias at the Richmond Theatre, London. Harker appeared alongside Lucy Speed, Diana Vickers, and Elizabeth Ayodele.[6][7] The production, going on to tour the UK, was rated 2/5 stars by What's on Stage.[8] In January 2025, Harker debuted as Dr. Caitlin Todd in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale.[9][10][11] She initially appeared as a minor character in early 2025, before being reintroduced in 2026 as part of a prominent storyline involving her character being a workplace bully.[12]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | The Madness of King George | Mrs Fitzherbert | |
| 1999 | Een vrouw van het noorden | Charlotte | |
| 2007 | Lady Godiva: Back in the Saddle | Catherine Osbourne | |
| 2020 | The Croft | Suzanne | |
| 2021 | Mothering Sunday | Sylvia Hobday |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Casualty | Helen Bradley / Tessa | 2 episodes |
| 1992–2003 | A Touch of Frost | W.P.C. Hazel Wallace | 11 episodes |
| 1993 | Riders | Tory Lovell | Television film |
| 1994 | Middlemarch | Celia Brooke | 7 episodes |
| Honey for Tea | Lucy Courtney | 7 episodes | |
| 1997 | Holding On | Vicky | 8 episodes |
| 1997–1998 | Keeping Mum | Wendy | 3 episodes |
| 1998 | Kavanagh QC | Rowena Featherstonehaugh | 1 episode |
| 2002 | Midsomer Murders | Tamsin Proctor | Episode: "Market For Murder" |
| 2003 | Foyle's War | Jane Hardiman | 1 episode |
| 2004 | Auf Wiedersehen, Pet | Pru Scott-Johns | 5 episodes |
| Murder in Suburbia | Tessa Northover | 1 episode | |
| 2007 | The Man Who Lost His Head | Fiona Harrison | TV movie |
| Hana's Helpline | Betty | 6 episodes | |
| 2010 | Doctors | Claire Jarrett | Episode: "Widow-to-Be" |
| 2011 | New Tricks | Tabitha Hall-Chalmers | Episode: "Tiger Tiger" |
| 2012 | Coronation Street | Alicia Davenport | 4 episodes |
| Holby City | Imogen White | Episode: "Here and Now" | |
| Doctors | Elaine Stainton | Episode: "Who's Coming to Dinner?" | |
| 2016 | Caroline Vossman | Episode: "Across Time" | |
| 2021 | Toast of Tinseltown | Sue Pipkins | Series 1 episode 1: Anger Man |
| 2022 | Ten Percent | Casting director | Series 1 episode 8 |
| 2023 | The Chemistry of Death | Janine Spink | 2 episodes |
| Slow Horses | Doctor's Receptionist | Episode: "Strange Games" | |
| 2024 | Joan | Mrs Taylor-Brown | 1 episode |
| Say Nothing | Radio Journalist (voice) | Episode: "Do No Harm" | |
| The Agency | Chief of Staff | Episode: "Spy for Sale" | |
| 2025–present | Emmerdale | Dr. Caitlin Todd | Regular role |
| 2025 | The Stolen Girl | Bethany Hastings | 1 episode |
| 2026 | Hijack | Julia | 2 episodes |
References
edit- ↑ Susannah Harker BBC Drama, April 2007.
- ↑ Maev Kennedy (5 February 2017). "Harker family visit great-grandfather's threatened scene-painting studio". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- 1 2 "Caroline Harker". Theatr Clwyd. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ↑ Alan Bennett (26 May 2016). A Private Function. Faber & Faber. p. 215. ISBN 978-0-571-33290-8.
- ↑ BFI Film and Television Handbook. British Film Institute. 1993. p. 298. ISBN 978-0-85170-344-2.
- ↑ Anson, John (23 December 2022). "Diana Vickers back on stage as Steel Magnolias tours the UK". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
- ↑ Wood, Alex (22 November 2022). "Cast for Steel Magnolias tour announced". What's on Stage. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
- ↑ Satin, Ella (27 January 2023). "Steel Magnolias at Richmond Theatre and on tour – review". What's on Stage. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
- ↑ Wheeler, Olivia (2 January 2025). "Where you've seen Emmerdale's Dr Caitlin star before after Jacob's deadly blunder". Leeds Live. Reach plc. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ↑ Spadoni, Shelley; Govan, Chloe (7 January 2025). "Emmerdale fans left floored as they work out where they've seen Dr Todd actress before". OK!. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ↑ Wheeler, Olivia (2 January 2025). "ITV Emmerdale Dr Caitlin star's career from Coronation Street to Slow Horses". Manchester Evening News. Reach plc. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ↑ Adams, Michael. "Emmerdale reveals fearsome Dr Todd's backstory in intriguing early ITVX release". Radio Times. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
