Anna Brecon

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]

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.[5][2]

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]

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]

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.[6] At the 2000 Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards, she was the Best Actress winner for her performance in The Blue Room.[3]

• Anna Brecon at IMDb