# Tessa Wyatt
**Tessa Wyatt** (born 1948 in Woking, Surrey, England) is an English actress best known for playing Vicky Nicholls, later Vicky Tripp, in the ITV sitcom *Robin's Nest* from 1977 to 1981[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/). Her screen career began in the mid-1960s and ran into the 2010s, spanning comedy, drama, soap opera, and film[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1948, Woking, Surrey, England[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/) |
| Signature role | Vicky Nicholls (later Tripp) in *Robin's Nest*, 48 episodes, 1977–1981[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/) |
| Early role | Georgiana Darcy in the BBC's *Pride and Prejudice* (1967)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/) |
| Marriages | Tony Blackburn (1972–1977, divorced, one son); William Archibald Harkness (married August 1986, two children)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/bio/) |
| Training | Elmhurst Ballet School; began acting at age 12 after finding her ankles not strong enough for point work[3](https://ukbullet.uk/blog/tessa-wyatt-2024-update/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/bio/) |
| Later roles | Jackie Usborne in *Peep Show* (2008); Betty Spragg in *EastEnders* (2013)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/) |
## Early life and career
Wyatt trained in ballet at Elmhurst Ballet School and moved to stage school after finding her ankles not strong enough for point work; she has been acting since the age of 12[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/bio/) • [3](https://ukbullet.uk/blog/tessa-wyatt-2024-update/). Her early television appearances included *Armchair Theatre* (from 1965), *The Wednesday Play*, *Public Eye*, *Doctor at Large*, and *Z Cars*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/) • [4](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/tessa-wyatt.html). In 1967 she played Georgiana Darcy in the BBC adaptation of *Pride and Prejudice*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/).
Her film work in the early 1970s included the cult horror film *The Beast in the Cellar* (1970), *England Made Me* (1973), and *Spy Story* (1976), in which she played Sara Shaw[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/) • [5](https://www.sassyflix.com/person/174383-tessa-wyatt).
## Robin's Nest
*Robin's Nest* was the second spin-off from the sitcom *Man About the House*, after *George and Mildred*, produced by Thames Television for ITV[6](https://www.memorabletv.com/uk-tv/robins-nest-itv-1977-1981-richard-osullivan-tessa-wyatt/). It ran for six series and 48 episodes of 30 minutes, broadcast from 11 January 1977 to 31 March 1981[6](https://www.memorabletv.com/uk-tv/robins-nest-itv-1977-1981-richard-osullivan-tessa-wyatt/). Wyatt played Vicky Nicholls, the girlfriend and later wife of chef Robin Tripp, played by [Richard O'Sullivan](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-osullivan); the couple living together unmarried was described as something of a first for a sitcom, and writers Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke needed special permission from the [Independent Broadcasting Authority](https://www.edgepedia.org/independent-broadcasting-authority) to portray it[6](https://www.memorabletv.com/uk-tv/robins-nest-itv-1977-1981-richard-osullivan-tessa-wyatt/) • [7](https://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/from-man-about-the-house-to-man-about-the-kitchen). Over the course of the series Robin and Vicky married and had twins[6](https://www.memorabletv.com/uk-tv/robins-nest-itv-1977-1981-richard-osullivan-tessa-wyatt/). The cast also included [Tony Britton](https://www.edgepedia.org/tony-britton) as Vicky's father James Nicholls and David Kelly as the one-armed kitchen hand Albert Riddle[6](https://www.memorabletv.com/uk-tv/robins-nest-itv-1977-1981-richard-osullivan-tessa-wyatt/).
## Later career
After *Robin's Nest* ended in 1981, Wyatt worked steadily in guest and supporting roles. Her credits include *Return of the Saint* (1979), *Boon* (1988), *Virtual Murder* (1992), *The Bill* (1993), *2point4 Children* (1993), and an episode of *Casualty* in 2001[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/) • [8](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/78660/tessa-wyatt). She was an original cast member of the soap opera *Family Affairs*, playing Samantha Cockerill[4](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/tessa-wyatt.html). In 2008 she appeared in the fifth series of the [Channel 4](https://www.edgepedia.org/channel-4) sitcom *Peep Show* as Jackie Usborne, the mother of Jeremy Usborne[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/). Her later television work included four episodes of *[Doctors](https://www.edgepedia.org/doctors-2000-tv-series)* between 2006 and 2015 and five episodes of *EastEnders* in 2013 as Betty Spragg, her last major credited role[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/).
## Personal life
Wyatt married the radio disc jockey [Tony Blackburn](https://www.edgepedia.org/tony-blackburn) in 1972; the marriage ended in divorce in 1977, and they had one son, Simon[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/bio/) • [9](https://wiki.pdfdb.com/article/tony-blackburn-ex-wife-who-is-tessa-wyatt/). She then had a seven-year relationship with Richard O'Sullivan, her *Robin's Nest* co-star, beginning in 1978, and they had a son, Jamie[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/bio/). Since August 1986 she has been married to William Archibald Harkness, with whom she has a son, Jack, and a daughter, Joanna; she lives in Wimbledon[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/bio/). Her father, Charles Wyatt, was an England hockey player and director general of the Council of Foreign Bondholders[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/bio/).
## References
1. [Tessa Wyatt, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/)
2. [Tessa Wyatt – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0943589/bio/)
3. [Tessa Wyatt – Age, Husband, and Life After Robin's Nest, UK Bullet](https://ukbullet.uk/blog/tessa-wyatt-2024-update/)
4. [Tessa Wyatt – Age, Bio, Family, Famous Birthdays](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/tessa-wyatt.html)
5. [Tessa Wyatt (actor) Movies & Credits, SassyFlix](https://www.sassyflix.com/person/174383-tessa-wyatt)
6. [Robin's Nest (ITV 1977–1981, Richard O'Sullivan, Tessa Wyatt), Memorable TV](https://www.memorabletv.com/uk-tv/robins-nest-itv-1977-1981-richard-osullivan-tessa-wyatt/)
7. [Robin's Nest, British Classic Comedy](https://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/from-man-about-the-house-to-man-about-the-kitchen)
8. [Tessa Wyatt, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/78660/tessa-wyatt)
9. [Tony Blackburn ex-wife: Who is Tessa Wyatt?, PDFdb Wiki](https://wiki.pdfdb.com/article/tony-blackburn-ex-wife-who-is-tessa-wyatt/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames U to Y*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license