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Alison Pargeter
Alison Pargeter
Alison Pargeter
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Alison Pargeter (born 31 May 1972) is an English actress who played the roles of Sarah Cairns in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, Mary Slessor in an 11-part television series of Mary Slessor, the Nag's Head barmaid called Val in the BBC Only Fools and Horses prequel Rock & Chips, She later played the role of Margaret Campbell in the third series of Starz's Outlander, and also as a Kindly Old Woman in the HBO series The Nevers.

Key Information

Career

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Television appearances

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Pargeter has made several guest appearances over the years, she has appeared in the Channel 5 Horror series Urban Gothic, the long-running ITV police drama series The Bill, Strange, Dalziel and Pascoe, and Holby City.

Between that time in 2004, she played a recurring role which was Sarah Cairns in EastEnders, who appeared in 21 episodes, She suffered from being mentally unstable, and was a barmaid who worked in Angie's Den club, she started to become obsessed with Martin Fowler, and started to stalk him, then she tried to split Martin up from his wife Sonia Fowler following a drunken night together. She exited the series following a fight where she accidentally stabbed Martin and got committed to a mental institution.

Since leaving EastEnders she moved back, and returned to doing guest appearances again, including The Courtroom, Love Soup, Channel 4 comedy series Green Wing, and returned for a second guest appearance in The Bill.

In 2008, Pargeter played another major the role called Mary Slessor in the Mary Slessor an 11-part television series.

Since then, she went back to doing guest appearances onces again, such as the Channel 4 comedy series Pete Versus Life, Rock & Chips, The Crimson Petal and the White, 24: Live Another Day inciding three guest roles in Doctors, Crashing, Outlander, The Dumping Ground, four guest roles in Casualty, Vanity Fair, Chernobyl, Catch-22, Father Brown, The Crown and most recently The Nevers.

In 2004 she appeared in the television advertisement for John Smith's bitter "Annie, I'm not your Daddy" which starred Peter Kay. Also in 2012 she appeared in a television advertisement for Miracle Whip: Village. she later played a role as a house wife for TV commercial Volvic Juicy drink back in 2015, at the end of 2018, she appeared as playing the role of mother of three children with her husband as part of an Sainsbury's Christmas Advert, on a really important mission complete their Christmas shopping, In time for Christmas, and more recently, she played the role of a Vampire for an Birds Eye Commercial, advertising veggie burgers.

Films

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Pargeter has appeared in seven films such as Calendar Girls (2003), Mad George (2004), Angel (2007), Reuniting the Rubins (2010), The National Union of Space People (2016), The Little Stranger (2018) and the upcoming movie called Shafted, which is currently still in pre-production.

Theatre

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During 1997, Pargeter starred in the stage play Dinosaur Rock, and between 1999 and 2000, she ended up spending a year touring in the musical Grease playing the role of Jan who was one of the Pink Ladies.

Pargeter was a member of the Stephen Joseph Theatre Company in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, where she was directed by Sir Alan Ayckbourn in a trilogy of plays known collectively as Damsels in Distress, which subsequently transferred to the West End. For this, she won Best Newcomer in the Critics' Circle Theatre Awards and was nominated for an Evening Standard award, Manchester Evening News Award and a Whatsonstage Award.

Later parts include Sugar Daddies, again written and directed by Alan Ayckbourn; She Stoops to Conquer at the Royal Exchange, Manchester, for which she was nominated for a second Manchester Evening News award;

In June 2005, she played title role of Effie Gray in The Countess, playing opposite Nick Moran at the Criterion Theatre, Piccadilly.

In 2008 she recorded the voice of 'Wendy Darling' in a musical adaptation of Peter Pan with the music lyrics by Dallison/Wherry and was also narrated by Joe Parquale as 'Smee'.

Pargeter has starred in several Christmas Pantomimes for children over the years, she appeared in Alice in Wonderland, Jack and the Beanstalk and Cinderella.

In July 2011 Pargeter played the role of Gertrude Riall at the Manchester International Festival in a Victoria Wood's play called That Day We Sang.

Between February and June 2013, Pargeter went on A National Tour, touring eleven theatres around parts of the UK, and played the role of Eliante in the Roger McGough's play called The Misanthrope and on 10 March 2013 The Misanthrope also went live from the Everyman Playhouse and English Touring Theatre on BBC Radio 3.

Between 2013 and 2016, she appeared in two more stage plays including Sex Cells and her more recent was All My Sons.

Filmography

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Films

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Year Film Role Notes
TBA Shafted Svetlana Gobbleoff In pre-production
2023 Wonka Wendy Chucklesworth
2018 The Little Stranger Maid
2016 The National Union of Space People Danielle Chief
2010 Reuniting the Rubins Nurse
2007 Angel Edwina
2004 Mad George Sandra Short film
2003 Calendar Girls Chemist's Assistant

Television

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Year TV Show Role Notes
2024 Ludwig Debbie Williams Episode 2
2023 You Dawn Brown Recurring role, Season 4
2022 Wedding Season Claire Episode 6
2021 Holby City Wendy Carrington 4 episodes
The Nevers Kindly Old Woman Episodes "Exposure", "Ignition"
2020 The Crown Buckingham Palace Maid 1 Episodes "Fagan", "War"
Father Brown Anna Bailey Series 8, episode 6 "The Numbers of the Beast"
2019 Catch-22 Nurse Cramer Episode 6
Chernobyl BCP HQ Aide Female "Please Remain Calm"
2018 Vanity Fair Glorvina O'Dowd Episodes "In Which a Painter's Daughter Meets a King", "Endings and Beginnings"
Casualty Theresa Jordons 1 episode
2017 The Dumping Ground Janet Umbleby Episodes "Back in the Game - Part 1", "Back in the Game - Part 2", "The Fairytale Princess", "Save the DG", "What Lies Beneath"
Outlander Margaret Campbell Episodes "Creme de Menthe", "The Bakra"
"Eye of the Storm"
2016 Crashing Nurse Episode 6
2015 Casualty Flo Hill Episode "Maybe This Year"
Suspicion Anita Episode "Death Next Door"
2014 Quiet Desperation Gabby Pilot
Doctors Matilda Episodes "The Moon Girl Chronicles: Part One", "The Moon Girl Chronicles: Part Two", "Love is a Battefield"
24: Live Another Day Lydia Episode "10:00 p.m.-11:00 a.m."
2013 Toast of London Senna Poddington Episode "Vanity Project"
2012 Doctors Annie Hanks Episode "Ticks and Twitches"
2010–2011 Rock & Chips Val Episodes Pilot Special, "Five Gold Rings", "The Frog and the Pussycat"
2011 The Crimson Petal and the White Amelia TV mini-series, Episode 4
2010 Pete versus Life Valerie Episode "Ollie's Girlfriend"
2009 Casualty Rosie Pullen Episode "Could We Be Heroes?"
2008 Doctors Nina Jarvis Episode "I Know What You Did Last Semester"
Mary Slessor Mary Slessor 11 episodes
2007 The Bill Shelley Cooper Episodes "Line of Fire: Part 1", "Line of Fire: Part 2"
2006 Casualty Donna Carlyle Episode "In Good Faith"
Green Wing Nurse Series 2, episode 1
2005 Love Soup Siobhan Episode "There Must Be Some Way Out of Here"
2004 The Courtroom Deborah Harker Episodes "Five Below Zero", "Zero"
EastEnders Sarah Cairns 21 episodes
Holby City Sylvia Dyson Episode "The Kindness of Strangers"
Dalziel and Pascoe Barmaid Episode "A Game of Soldiers"
2003 Strange Natalie Episode "Incubus"
2001 The Bill Katie Episode "Billy the Kid"
2000 Urban Gothic Leila Haze Episode "Sum of the Parts"
[edit]
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Alison Pargeter

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from Grokipedia
Alison Pargeter (born 30 August 1970) is a British analyst, , and academic specializing in political and issues across and the , with particular expertise on , , (including the Kurdish region), , and Islamist movements such as the . She is recognized for her in-depth research on , post-revolutionary transitions, and authoritarian regimes in the region, often briefing policymakers and serving as an in international courts. Her career includes academic roles at the and , where she is a Visiting Senior Research Fellow in the School of , as well as positions as a Senior Research Associate at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and a Senior Associate at Menas Associates, a consultancy. She has contributed to policy discussions, including testimonies before the UK Foreign Affairs Select Committee and briefings for the . Additionally, Pargeter has provided over 400 reports for courts in the UK, , and , covering terrorism-related cases and prominent matters involving Libyan figures. Her scholarly output includes several influential books that analyze Islamist dynamics and regional politics. Key publications are:
  • Tribes and the State in Libya and Iraq: From the Nationalist Era to the New Order (Hurst, 2023), exploring the role of tribes in these countries.
  • Return to the Shadows: The Muslim Brotherhood and An-Nahda since the Arab Spring (Saqi Books, 2016), examining the post-Arab Spring trajectories of these movements.
  • The Muslim Brotherhood: From Opposition to Power (Saqi Books, 2013), exploring the group's shift during the Arab uprisings.
  • Libya: The Rise and Fall of Qaddafi (Yale University Press, 2012), a comprehensive history of Muammar Gaddafi's rule and its collapse.
  • The Muslim Brotherhood: The Burden of Tradition (Saqi Books, 2010), assessing the organization's ideological constraints.
  • The New Frontiers of Jihad: Radical Islam in Europe (I.B. Tauris, 2008), addressing the spread of extremism beyond the Middle East.
Pargeter's work is noted for its rigorous analysis of complex geopolitical shifts, drawing on extensive fieldwork and access to primary sources in volatile environments.

Early life and education

Little is known publicly about Alison Pargeter's early life. She was born on 30 August 1970. Pargeter studied at the London School of Economics, where she earned a PhD in International History in 2005. Her doctoral research focused on topics related to in the , aligning with her later expertise. Prior to her PhD, she completed earlier studies at the same institution.

Career

Television roles

Pargeter's television career began with a guest appearance in the horror anthology series in 2000, where she portrayed Leila Haze in the episode "Sum of the Parts," marking her entry into scripted television drama. Her breakthrough came in 2004 with the role of Sarah Cairns in the soap opera , appearing in 21 episodes as a obsessive stalker fixated on Martin Fowler, culminating in a dramatic confrontation where she stabs him after a series of harassing text messages and intrusions into his life. This storyline highlighted themes of unrequited obsession and domestic tension, showcasing Pargeter's ability to convey intense emotional volatility in a high-profile serial format. The role established her presence in British television, blending vulnerability with menace and contributing to the soap's of psychological suspense. In 2008, Pargeter took on a lead role as the titular in an 11-episode biographical series, depicting the Scottish missionary's work in 19th-century , including her advocacy against twin-killing practices and efforts in education and healthcare. This portrayal allowed her to demonstrate dramatic range in a historical context, collaborating with director on a narrative emphasizing resilience and cultural impact. Pargeter continued with supporting roles in comedic and period pieces, such as Val in the Only Fools and Horses prequel (2010–2011), where she appeared across three episodes as part of the ensemble exploring 1960s family dynamics under director Dewi Humphreys. Her television work evolved toward international prestige productions, including Margaret Campbell in Outlander (2017), a vulnerable figure in the Starz series' third season who aids Claire Fraser amid colonial intrigue. She followed this with the Kindly Old Woman in HBO's (2021), providing subtle emotional support in Joss Whedon's Victorian-era superhero narrative. More recent credits include Aneth in the Disney+ series (2022), a minor rebel ally in the Star Wars universe, and Debbie Williams in BBC's Ludwig (2024), contributing to the puzzle-mystery comedy's ensemble. Pargeter has also made notable guest appearances across procedural and historical dramas, such as Shelley Cooper in (2007), Wendy Carrington in (multiple episodes), various patients in Casualty and Doctors, BCP HQ Aide Female in HBO's Chernobyl (2019), Dawn Brown—a photographer—in Netflix's You (2023), and Buckingham Maid 1 in (2020). These roles reflect her transition from intensity to nuanced contributions in acclaimed limited series, often navigating by embracing diverse genres from horror to sci-fi.

Film roles

Pargeter's entry into feature films began with a minor ensemble role as the Chemist's Assistant in the 2003 comedy-drama , directed by , where she supported the central narrative of a group of women creating a to raise funds for charity. This debut showcased her ability to blend into a strong all-female cast led by and , contributing to the film's warm, inspirational tone amid its light-hearted exploration of friendship and resilience. She progressed to a more substantial supporting role as Edwina in Ozon's 2007 period drama , portraying the pragmatic friend to the protagonist's ambitious lover in a story of literary success and personal downfall set against early 20th-century . Pargeter's performance added emotional depth to Edwina's grounded perspective, contrasting the lead character's romantic delusions and enhancing the film's examination of class and creativity. Subsequent appearances included Nurse Clark in the 2010 family Reuniting the Rubins, directed by Yoav Factor, where she provided brief but empathetic medical support in a tale of familial , and Danielle Chief in the 2016 quirky sci-fi The National Union of Space People, directed by Tim Griffiths, highlighting her versatility in eccentric ensemble settings. In 2018, Pargeter appeared as the Maid in The Little Stranger, a gothic psychological drama directed by Lenny Abrahamson and adapted from Sarah Waters' novel, where her understated portrayal helped evoke the eerie, decaying atmosphere of a haunted postwar estate and its unraveling family secrets. This collaboration underscored her skill in subtle, atmospheric contributions to horror-tinged narratives. Her career trajectory shifted toward higher visibility with the role of Wendy Chucklesworth in Paul King's 2023 musical fantasy Wonka, a high-profile ensemble piece starring Timothée Chalamet, in which she embodied a whimsical cartographer aiding the young inventor's chocolate empire ambitions amid a vibrant, imaginative world. Pargeter is also attached to the pre-production comedy Shafted, directed by Tim Faraday, playing Svetlana Gobbleoff in a story centered on a gangster's personal crises, marking continued exploration of comedic supporting dynamics. Over time, her film work has evolved from peripheral ensemble parts to more prominent supporting roles in major productions, often leveraging her television background for seamless transitions into cinematic storytelling.

Theatre productions

Alison Pargeter's stage career began with and evolved into a diverse repertoire of comedic and dramatic roles across tours, regional theatres, and the West End. Her breakthrough came shortly after , with a year-long national tour in the musical Grease (1999–2000), where she played Jan, one of the Pink Ladies, under director . Following this, Pargeter joined the Stephen Joseph Theatre in , becoming a company member and collaborating frequently with playwright Alan Ayckbourn. She starred in his trilogy Damsels in Distress (2001–2002), originating the roles of Rosie in FlatSpin, Liz in RolePlay, and Pippa/Micki in GamePlan at the Stephen Joseph Theatre before transferring to the in London's West End. Her multifaceted performance, showcasing versatile comedic timing and , earned her a nomination for the 2002 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer. Critics praised her "astonishing physical transformation" across the plays, highlighting her ability to embody breathless eroticism and hapless vulnerability. Pargeter continued with Ayckbourn in Sugar Daddies (2003) at the Stephen Joseph Theatre and Orange Tree Theatre, playing Jenny, a role that further demonstrated her "remarkable comic capacity" through wide-eyed innocence and sharp wit. In 2005, she transitioned to more dramatic territory with the title role of Effie Ruskin in The Countess, an adaptation of the story by Gregory Murphy, directed by at Club before a West End run at the . Her portrayal of the suppressed Victorian wife was noted for its sensitive depiction of "odd beauty" and "suppressed sexual ardour," marking a shift from lighter fare to emotionally layered characters. This evolution continued in regional productions, including Kate Hardcastle in Oliver Goldsmith's (2006) at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, directed by Braham Murray. Later, she returned to classical works with Eliante in Roger McGough's adaptation of Molière's (2013), a UK tour production directed by Gemma Bodinetz for English Touring Theatre, presented at venues including the Liverpool Playhouse and Nottingham Theatre Royal. Her performance was described as an "absolute delight," blending innocence with sly humor in the 17th-century satire. Pargeter's stage presence, honed through these roles, received consistent acclaim for its energy and adaptability, facilitating her move from musicals and comedies to profound dramatic interpretations while maintaining strong audience engagement in live settings. She also appeared in smaller-scale works like Divorce Made Easy, directed by .

Awards and nominations

Alison Pargeter has not received major personal awards or nominations for her work as an analyst and author on and the . Her contributions are recognized through academic affiliations, such as her role as a Visiting Senior at and Senior at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), as well as her extensive publications and expert testimonies.

Filmography

Alison Pargeter has no known credited roles in feature films or television series.
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