It’s been two decades since Amy Nuttall waved goodbye to Emmerdale, but fans will forever remember her as ‘maneater’ Chloe Atkinson. Amy was just 18 years old when she landed the role in 2000, and for four years, her character was at the centre of many scandalous storylines, including an affair with her boyfriend’s best mate.
Since leaving the Dales, Amy has enjoyed a successful career, starring in popular shows like Downton Abbey, ITV’s real-life drama Mr Bates v The Post Office, and crime series Death In Paradise and Silent Witness. She also made an appearance in the Beetlejuice sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and has had a prolific career on stage.
Her personal life made headlines when her famous husband was embroiled in a ‘cheating’ scandal with his co-star. Now, as the mum-of-two gears up for her latest role in Channel 5’s drama, The Feud, alongside Jill Halfpenny and Rupert Penry-Jones, we take a look back at her career highlights and off-screen life.
Emmerdale ‘siren’
Amy, who is now 42, joined Emmerdale in December 2000 where she starred alongside her then real-life boyfriend Ben Freeman playing Chloe’s love interest Scott Windsor. Chloe went on to have an affair with Scott’s best friend, earning her the label of a ‘maneater’, reports Leeds Live.
In an interview, Amy told Metro: “It’s funny because all my headlines include the word ‘maneater’ and I have only snogged two, no three, members of the cast on-screen. […] I’m a bit fed up of being called a soap siren.”
After a four-year stint as Chloe on the show, she decided to pursue her passion for singing, which saw her perform at a football match at Old Trafford. Hailing from Blackburn in Lancashire, Amy was already a seasoned performer, having made history as the youngest actress to understudy and take on the main role of Christine in The Phantom of the Opera on a national theatre tour at just 17.
In Emmerdale, Chloe was entangled in a love triangle at the time of Amy’s departure from the series, seeing Carl King (Tom Lister), who was with Chastity Dingle (Lucy Pargeter) at the time. In a desperate bid to keep Carl, Chloe falsely claimed she was pregnant.
But when Chas figured out what she was up to, she got her comeuppance by being dunked in a fountain and theatrically made to confess before leaving the village in disgrace on Good Friday 2005.
Downton Abbey role
Amy also gained acclaim for playing housemaid Ethel Parks in the beloved period drama Downton Abbey. She joined the show’s second series in 2012. Ethel, known for being outspoken and rebellious against any authority, clashed with her boss Mrs Hughes.
Ethel also fell pregnant with Major Charles Bryant’s child, which led to the maid having to give up her child to the Major’s parents.
Sharing her reflections with the Daily Mail, Amy revealed: “‘One of the things I love about playing Ethel is that I am unrecognisable from Chloe, particularly now that Ethel is a destitute single mother. I was just 18 when I joined the cast of Emmerdale, and although it was a great experience at the time it’s been hard to live down.”
Husband’s ‘cheating’ scandal
In real life, Amy tied the knot with Broadchurch and Black Doves star Andrew Buchan in 2012. The pair, parents to two children, were thrown into the spotlight two years ago with rumours flying about Andrew and Leila Farzad, his co-star on BBC’s Better, growing close.
Amid whispers of a marital split, Amy posted a cryptic message on Valentine’s Day stating: ‘I am not impressed by money, social status or job title, I’m impressed by the way someone treats other human beings.”
Days earlier, her Instagram feed featured holiday snaps – Andrew noticeably missing – with one snap showing Amy hand-in-hand with her two children.
Since their split, there have been whispers of a reconciliation between Amy and Andrew, before reports of a final split although they have not confirmed the situation.
The Feud
Amy has landed the role of Sonia in the upcoming six-part Channel 5 drama The Feud, which features EastEnders’ Jill Halfpenny and Gavin & Stacey’s Larry Lamb. The show delves into the seemingly idyllic suburban life of a couple and their tight-knit community.
But the peace starts to crumble when Emma and John, played by Halfpenny and Spooks’ Rupert Penry-Jones, decide to build a kitchen extension.
A sneak peek of the series has dropped, revealing the initial chat between Emma and her neighbour Barbara about the upcoming home improvements.
Even though Emma reassures Barbara that the extension won’t cause any issues, a simple comment to a mysterious character named Marcus leads to unexpected consequences.
Emma and Sonia later speculate over what happened to Marcus, with Sonia pointing out: “Come on, people don’t just disappear. I mean, you said so yourself, you could hear the fights through the wall.”