Anna Brecon (born 1971), or Anna Juliet Davis, is an English actress, best known for portraying Tara Reynolds ('Lady Tara') in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale.

Anna Brecon
Born
Anna Juliet Davis[1]

1971 (age 52–53)
OccupationActress
Years active1996–present
SpouseStephen Beckett

Early life

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Born in Salisbury,[1][2] Brecon attended South Wilts Grammar School for Girls in Salisbury. While at school, she was a contestant on the teen quiz show Blockbusters and did three "Gold runs". She went on to train at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts.[3]

Career

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Brecon played the part of Tara in Emmerdale between 1997 and 2002, with a year away from the show in 1999. She returned briefly to the role on 28 May 2007.[4] Her other television work includes Canary Wharf, Crime Traveller, The Bill and Doctors. Brecon has also appeared in two advertising campaigns for Ferrero Rocher.[3]

On 17 October 2000, while on her way from London to the Yorkshire Television Studios in Leeds, Brecon was a victim of the Hatfield rail disaster, suffering a minor injury, cuts and bruises.[2][5]

Her film credits include Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis (1997), FairyTale: A True Story (1997), Only Darkness (1999), and Mixed Up and the horror film Exposé (both 2009).[6]

Brecon's theatre work includes Sugar Daddies, the title role in Miss Julie (2002), The Children's Hour, Between the Gods and the Gutter and Woman in Mind.[3]

Personal life

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In February 2000, Brecon met the actor Stephen Beckett, in the rehearsals for a production of The Blue Room at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton, in which they had both been cast. They soon became a couple, going on holiday together to Italy.[7] They were engaged to be married in January 2003[8] and have a daughter, Nancy, born in 2005, and a son, Wilfred, born in 2006.[9] In 2018 they were living in Brighton.[10]

Awards

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Brecon won the Most Popular Newcomer Award at the 1998 National Television Awards,[11] and Best Soap Newcomer at the TV Quick Awards in the same year. At the 2000 Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards, she was the Best Actress winner for her performance in The Blue Room.[3]

Filmography

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Television

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Year Show Role Notes
1996 Canary Wharf Claudia Soap opera
1997 Crime Traveller Journalist
- Fashion Shoot (1997)
TV series
The Bill Sharon McCarthy
- Tommy the Hero (1997)
TV series
The Investigator Warley Television film
Emmerdale Lady Tara Thornfield
(1997–1998, 2000–2002, 2007)
TV series
2009 Doctors Melissa Saywell
- First Love Last Love (2009)
Soap opera
2018 Doctors Zara's confidante on Surrogacy Soap opera

Film

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Year Show Role Notes
1997 Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis Reporter Feature film
FairyTale: A True Story Fairy Feature film
1999 Only Darkness Feature film
2009 Mixed Up Alice Feature film
Exposé (aka Stalker) Paula Martin Feature film

References

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  1. ^ a b “DAVIS Anna Juliet / PRITCHARD / Salisbury 7c 2413” in General Index to Births in England and Wales (1971, 1st quarter), ancestry.com (subscription required)
  2. ^ a b Paul Marston, [1] “I kept thinking about my little boy and that I might not see him again” in The Daily Telegraph, 8 February 2005, accessed 5 August 2009
  3. ^ a b c d "Anna Brecon - CV" (PDF). Pemberton Associates. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 October 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2009.
  4. ^ "LEN'S A GONER from 12 May 2007". Daily Mirror. 11 May 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
  5. ^ "'Don't let the rail companies be judge on safety'". Telegraph & Argus. 18 October 2000. Retrieved 5 August 2009.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ Anna Brecon biography at the Internet Movie Database; URL accessed 2009-08-05
  7. ^ Steven Smith, “Showbiz People: Stephen Beckett - My favourite things”, thefreelibrary.com, September 2000
  8. ^ Soap doc's Octagon love affair, theboltonnews.co.uk, 28 January 2003
  9. ^ Sole, Kate (30 May 2008). "Stephen Beckett stars in new thriller". Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 5 August 2009.
  10. ^ Kottegoda, Maheesha. "Five minutes with...Stephen Beckett". Sussex Life. Retrieved 5 August 2009.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ "National TV Awards: 1998 Awards". thecustard.tv. 2006. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2009.
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