Helen Baxendale has returned to our screens after a four-year hiatus, starring in the gritty new ITV crime drama The Dark. The 56-year-old actress, famed for her roles in Cold Feet and Friends, was last seen on television in the second season of the BBC drama Noughts + Crosses in 2022.
In The Dark, Helen stars alongside Outlander’s Laura Donnelly, playing a distraught mother mourning her missing son as Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy hunts a twisted murderer in the Scottish Highlands.
© ITVWhile Helen is a household name thanks to her impressive career, her partner is also a famous figure in the industry. Keep reading to discover more about Helen's life off-screen."
Who is Helen Baxendale's partner?
Helen is in a long-term relationship with film director, writer and producer David L. Williams. The couple co-founded the production company, Shooting Pictures, in 2000.
In 2002, David directed his wife in the comedy Flyfishing, which also starred Frances Barber and Kate Ashfield. He's also known for his 2009 Arctic comedy, Beyond the Pole, starring Stephen Mangan, Rhys Thomas, Mark Benton and Alexander Skarsgard.
© WireImageDuring a recent interview with RadioTimes.com, Helen gave an insight into her home life when asked who controls the TV remote. "The three kids have moved out now so it's just me and my husband," she said. "I'd say it's fairly democratic, but we can never find what we want to watch."
Despite referring to David as her husband, Helen previously admitted she isn't particularly interested in getting married. In a 2011 interview with The Mirror, she said: "The more people ask me, the more I don’t want to. When I had my daughter, I didn't want to get married because I was fat and as we have gone on, I am happy. I am not bothered about being married."
Helen's children and family life
Helen and David share three children: Nell, who was born in 1998, Eric, born in 2001, and Vincent, born in 2006.
Their eldest child, Nell, followed in her mother's footsteps as an actress and has appeared in a number of hit TV shows and films. The 27-year-old played a teenage Cersei Lannister in the fifth season of Game of Thrones, and starred alongside Sinéad Keenan and Anna Friel in the 2019 ITV drama, Deep Water.
© FilmMagicMost recently, she played Agatha in the Prime Video detective series, Young Sherlock, and Mary Redfellow in the black comedy thriller, How to Make a Killing, starring Glen Powell.
Back in 2003, after finishing filming the last season of Cold Feet, Helen revealed that she was considering quitting acting to spend more time with her family.
© Alamy Stock Photo"I really don't feel much of a pull to go back to work," she told Now magazine. "It's a difficult one because I don't want to end up with no career. I just don't know."
Helen, who had a four-year-old daughter and one-year-old son at the time, said: "You aren't in any one place and I don't think it's fair on anyone. It's not like I'm back for bath-time and bedtime for the children. You're back when they are asleep and you go out before they wake up. Really, that time when they are young goes all too quickly."
Helen's comments about fame
During an interview with RadioTimes.com, Helen reflected on the impact of fame, noting how witnessing the intense scrutiny her Friends stars experiences shaped her own perspective.
© NBCUniversal via Getty Images"That level of fame comes at a cost," she said. "Some people are really good at dealing with it and others aren't. It doesn't just affect you, it affects your family and friendships. It didn't sit easily with me. But looking back, that part of my life is just incredible to me and sort of bizarre."
