Ingrid Oliver

Summary

Ingrid Oliver (born 25 February 1977) is a British actress and comedian, and one half of the comic double act Watson & Oliver. She played Petronella Osgood, a supporting character in the BBC television series Doctor Who.

Ingrid Oliver
Oliver at the 2017 Super Retrocon
Born (1977-02-25) 25 February 1977 (age 47)
Occupation(s)Actress, comedian, writer
Years active2005–present
Spouse
(m. 2022)
Parent

Career edit

Oliver and her comedy partner Lorna Watson met at Tiffin Girls' School in Kingston upon Thames.[1] she then read Modern Languages at New College, Oxford. In September 2005, Watson and Oliver performed their first show together at the Canal Cafe Theatre in London. Since then they have taken sell-out shows to Edinburgh Festival Fringe, in both 2006 and 2007.[2]

Oliver has performed in various radio and television programmes, including Doc Martin starring Martin Clunes, The Penny Dreadfuls' radio series The Penny Dreadfuls Present... The Brothers Faversham[3] and the radio series Another Case of Milton Jones. She played the part of Natalie in Peep Show on Channel 4.

 
Oliver on the set of Doctor Who in Cardiff in 2014

She appears in the film Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging as Miss Stamp, and in early 2009 could be seen in Channel 4's sitcom Plus One.[4]

In 2010, Oliver played Mimi Throckmorton in Material Girl on BBC One, alongside Lenora Crichlow and Dervla Kirwan.[5] In 2012, she appeared on Let's Dance For Sport Relief with comedy partner Lorna Watson, dancing Boléro, famously used by Torvill and Dean. The following year, she appeared in the first episode of The Great Comic Relief Bake Off and was named as 'Star Baker'. The same year, she appeared in the 50th anniversary special of Doctor Who, "The Day of the Doctor", as Petronella Osgood. She reprised the role in the episodes "Death in Heaven",[6] "The Zygon Invasion", "The Zygon Inversion", UNIT, an audio drama spinoff series produced by Big Finish Productions, and Doctor Who: Redacted, a BBC radio drama spin-off series.

Personal life edit

Oliver was born to a German father and English mother. Her grandfather, Eric Gideon, was a D-Day veteran who died in 2017, shortly after receiving the Légion d'Honneur for his service to France during the war. Her mother is Conservative MP Jo Gideon, who became the Member of Parliament (MP) for Stoke-on-Trent Central in 2019. Oliver has British and German nationality.[7]

She began a relationship with Richard Osman in 2020, they became engaged in May 2022 and married in December 2022.[8][9] They met when she was a contestant on TV celebrity quiz show Richard Osman's House of Games.

Filmography edit

Film edit

Year Title Role Notes
2008 Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging Mrs. Stamp
2014 96 Ways to Say I Love You Cammy Short film
2017 You, Me and Him Lily
2018 The Story of Ken None Short film; director and writer
2019 The Hustle Brigitte Desjardins
Last Christmas Policewoman Crowley
2020 Night Growler Newsreader (voice) Short film

Television edit

Year Title Role Notes
2005 Footprints in the Snow Back-up organiser TV film
Doc Martin Radio technician Episode: "Aromatherapy"
2006 Vital Signs Mother #2 Episode #1.2
Now the Weather Unknown Unaired pilot
2007 Biffovision Mrs. Peggy TV film
Watson & Oliver: The Movie Various characters TV film; also writer
Comedy Showcase Rebecca Black Episode: "Plus One"
2008 The Gym Miriam 1 episode
Peep Show Natalie Episode: "Jeremy's Mummy"
Tonightly Ingrid Episode #1.1
The Wrong Door Various characters 6 episodes; also writer
2009 Plus One Rebecca Black 5 episodes
The Fixer Sadie Episode #2.4
2010 The Persuationists Harriet Episode: "The Australianess"
Material Girl Mimi Throckmorton 6 episodes
2011 Twenty Twelve Assistant producer of The Today Programme Episode #1.6
Lead Balloon Jenny Episode: "Pig"
2012–2016 The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret Yancy McPickles/Vanessa Blojabditz 4 episodes
2012–2013 Watson & Oliver Various characters 12 episodes; also writer
2013–2015 Doctor Who Petronella Osgood 4 episodes
2014 GameFace Clare Pilot
2016 Plebs Camilla Episode: "Justin Junior"
2017 The Magicians Hudson River Dragon (voice) Episode: "The Rattening"
2019 Silent Witness DI Briggs 2 episodes
Defending the Guilty Fiona 3 episodes
2021 The Watch Doctor Cruces 4 episodes
2023 Beyond Paradise Cassie Parker 1 episode
2024 Father Brown Gaynor Garfield Episode: "The Forensic Nun"

Stage edit

Year Title Role Venue Notes
Unknown Goethe's Faust Gretchen St. John's College Theatre
Unknown King Lear Cordelia Tabard Theatre
Unknown Heartbreak House Hesione Hushabye
Unknown Anatol Annie
2003 Revolving Door Kelly Theatro Technis
Butterflies Are Free Florence Baker Vienna's English Theatre
Loveplay Various characters Finborough Theatre
2004 Eskimo Sisters Mo Camden People's Theatre
2006 The Shelter Angela Trumpet Lawrence Batley Theatre
2015 Harvey Myrtle Mae Simmons Birmingham Repertory Theatre
2017 Ingrid Oliver: Speech! Various characters Edinburgh Festival Fringe One-woman show

Video games edit

Year Title Role
2013 Company of Heroes 2 Unknown
2018 Doctor Who Infinity: The Dalek Invasion of Time[10] Petronella Osgood (voice)
2019 Doctor Who Infinity: The Horror of Flat Holm
2021 Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins[11] Petronella Osgood

Radio edit

Year Title Role Production Notes
2007–2012 The Castle Lady Charlotte BBC Radio 4 (series 1–3) 24 episodes
BBC Radio 4 Extra (series 4)
2008 The Brothers Faversham Alexandra Faversham BBC Radio 7 4 episodes
More Brothers Faversham 4 episodes
2009 Cavity Kirsty BBC Radio 4
2013 ElvenQuest Penthiselea 6 episodes
2014 The Architects Sarah 4 episodes
Men About The House Eve Feevis Pilot
2015 A Trespasser's Guide to The Classics Emma Episode: "The Rat-Catchers of Yonville"
2021 The Attendant Denise/Evil Denise Episode: "Sci-Fi"
2019–2022 Party's Over Christine Tobin 12 episodes

References edit

  1. ^ Lee, Veronica (19 February 2012). "Watson & Oliver: It's hi from me... and hi from her". The Independent.
  2. ^ "Watson and Oliver", Edinburgh Guide Review, 2007.
  3. ^ The Penny Dreadfuls, BBC7.
  4. ^ "Who can fill French and Saunders' shoes?", The Guardian, 20 October 2008.
  5. ^ "BBC One:Programmes – Material Girl". BBC..
  6. ^ Wales online (JPEG)
  7. ^ "Comedian INGRID OLIVER vs Brexit plus V For Vendetta revisited". Remainics. 7 July 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  8. ^ "Richard Osman opens up to Desert Island Discs about food addiction". BBC News. 26 December 2021.
  9. ^ "Richard Osman gives exciting details on wedding plans to Doctor Who actress Ingrid Oliver". Hello Magazine. 15 September 2022.
  10. ^ "Doctor Who Infinity launches on PC and Mac, new trailer released". GARY COLLINSON. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  11. ^ "The Lonely Assassins, the new mobile game, is out now". Doctor Who. Retrieved 19 March 2021.

External links edit