Emerald O'Hanrahan (born 1986) is an English actress best known for playing Emma Grundy in The Archers on BBC Radio 4.

Early life She was born and raised 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, participating 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 Alien: Isolation.

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".

In 2025, she narrated Channel 5's The Taste Test Restaurant.

Radio

Date Title Role Director Station 2009 – The Archers Emma Grundy BBC Radio 4 The Milk RaceBBC – Afternoon Play – The Milk Race [Other parts] Toby Swift BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play Those Hard to Reach PlacesBBC – Afternoon Play – Those Hard to Reach Places Phone voice Toby Swift BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play The LoopBBC – Afternoon Play – The Loop Dolores Toby Swift BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play – MatildaBBC – Classic Serial – Matilda Miss Honey Claire Grove BBC Radio 4 Classic SerialNovember 2010Wives and DaughtersBBC - Wives and Daughters OmnibusMolly GibsonPeter Leslie WildBBC Radio 4 Extra Take Me to the NecropolisBBC – Afternoon Play – Take Me to the Necropolis Alice Kirsty Williams BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play

References

External links Emma Grundy @ The Archers