Emerald O'Hanrahan


Emerald O’Hanrahan is an English actress known for playing Emma Grundy in The Archers on BBC Radio 4.

Early life

She was born and grew up in Cambridgeshire Educated at St Mary's School, Cambridge until 2002, where she took part in school and amateur productions, playing Susan in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Juliet in a tour of Romeo and Juliet around East Anglia, and at the Cambridge Arts Theatre as Miranda in The Tempest. She studied for A Levels at the Long Road Sixth Form College, then took a BA in Acting at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where she won the Carleton Hobbs Bursary.

Career

After graduation in July 2009, she joined the BBC's Radio Drama Company for five months, taking part in more than 40 productions for BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 4 Extra, bringing her to the attention of the producers of The Archers who were looking to recast the role of Emma Grundy following Felicity Jones's decision to depart.
O’Hanrahan has taken to the stage in productions such as Birmingham Repertory Company 2011 double-production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest and Tom Stoppard’s Travesties.
In 2014, she voiced Nina Taylor in Creative Assembly's survival horror game
In 2015, she starred in Martin Delaney's short film Queen's Mile.
In 2017, she appeared in the BBC Television series Father Brown as Victoria Nicholson in episode 5.10 "The Alchemist's Secret".

Radio

DateTitleRoleDirectorStation
2009 –The ArchersEmma Grundy BBC Radio 4
The Milk RaceToby SwiftBBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play
Those Hard to Reach PlacesPhone voiceToby SwiftBBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play
The LoopDoloresToby SwiftBBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play
MatildaMiss HoneyClaire GroveBBC Radio 4 Classic Serial
Take Me to the NecropolisAliceKirsty WilliamsBBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play