Tessa Peake-Jones (born 9 May 1957) is an English actress who has appeared in many plays and series on British television. She played Raquel in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses (1988—2003) and Mrs. Maguire in the ITV drama Grantchester (2014–).
Early life and education Peake-Jones was born on 9 May 1957 in London, to her mother Mary. She was raised in Hammersmith and educated at Kenmore Park Junior School, Harrow and Downer Grammar School (now known as Canons High School), leaving in 1973, before training at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
Career Peake-Jones is best known for playing Raquel Turner, the longtime partner of main character Derek "Del Boy" Trotter (played by David Jason) in the television comedy Only Fools and Horses from 1988 to 1993, in 1996, and from 2001 to 2003.
She had a co-starring role in the 1999 television series Births, Marriages, and Deaths. Her other television appearances include Bergerac, The Demon Headmaster, Midsomer Murders, Casualty, Holby City, The Bill, Up the Garden Path and So Haunt Me.
Peake-Jones appeared in the BBC adaptation of Iris Murdoch's The Bell (1982). She also played the role of the bookish sister Mary Bennet in the BBC serial adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (1980). 2007 saw her at the National Theatre as Irene in The Five Wives of Maurice Pinder by Matt Charman.National Theatre Archive - The Five Wives of Maurice Pinder page accessed 22 November 2025.
For the Royal Shakespeare Company, she appeared as Ophelia in Hamlet and Luciana in The Comedy of Errors in a UK tour, 1987–88, and as Helma in The Park by Botho Strauss at the Barbican in London in 1995.
In March 2008, she appeared as a member of staff in the Channel 4 psychiatric hospital drama Poppy Shakespeare. In both 2009 and 2011, Peake-Jones played Sue Bond in the BBC daytime soap opera Doctors. In 2013, she appeared in the Doctor Who Christmas episode "The Time of the Doctor" playing a character called Marta. Since 2014, Peake-Jones has appeared in Grantchester as Mrs. Maguire, the vicar's religious and cantankerous housekeeper.
In 2019, Peake-Jones appeared on the ITV show All Star Musicals, singing "Mamma Mia" from the musical Mamma Mia!.
Personal life Peake-Jones' former partner is actor Douglas Hodge, from whom she separated in February 2013 after 29 years together. They have two children.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes2005WidowShort20101st NightMrs. Hammond2010NurseShort2014BonoboJudith2019Mrs. Robertson2019After LouiseBryony
Television Year Title Role Notes1978Fallen HeroSonia JacksonEpisode: "1.4"1979Telford's ChangeElizabeth CowleyTV series1979The Danedyke MysteryAngela HortonTV series, 6 episodes1980Pride and PrejudiceMary BennetTV miniseries1988–1996, 2001–2003Only Fools and HorsesRaquel Turner TV series ; 19 episodes1982Dora GreenfieldTV series, 4 episodes1983JuliaPart of the complete BBC Shakespeare1983BergeracReporterTV series, Episode: “Come Out Fighting”1984CocklesAnnette SmithEpisode: "Flotsam and Jetsam"1984Strangers and BrothersIrene EliotEpisodes: "1.8", "1.9"1985Charters & CaldicottJennyTV miniseries1986LornaTV film1987Tickets for the TitanicPenelopeEpisode: "Keeping Score"1987Screen TwoAnitaEpisode: "Quartermaine's Terms"1987When We Are MarriedNancy HolmesTV film1987What the Butler SawGeraldine BarclayOrton's play, part of Theatre Night series1988RockliffeMrs. CunninghamEpisode: "Lie of the Land"1988S.O.C.O SueEpisode: “Digging up the Past”, “A Fair Appraisal”1989Hard CasesMary MilvertonEpisodes: "2.1", "2.4"1989Anything More Would Be GreedyJonquil VickeryTV miniseries1990, 1995, 2010CasualtyEsther Macauley, Jenny Hodges, Tina FlanneryEpisodes: "Big Boys Don't Cry", "Trials & Tribulations", "A Better Past"1990–1993Up the Garden PathMaria ShadwellMain role1992–1994So Haunt MeSally RokebyMain role1996–1998Mrs. HunterRegular role1997Bridget AllworthyBBC miniseries1998, 2016Midsomer MurdersSarah Lawton, Mary AppletonEpisodes: "Faithful unto Death", "Breaking the Chain"1999Births, Marriages and DeathsMollyTV series2000Summer in the SuburbsSandra LyleTV film2000FishCatherine ManbyEpisode: "Another Shade of White"2001Sharon MunsonEpisode: "Happy and Glorious"2001Waking the DeadFiona MaitlandEpisodes: "Every Breath You Take: Parts 1 & 2"2001Hilda SummerleeTV film2001Holby CityMaggie LathamEpisodes: "Runaway", "Winner Takes All"2005Dalziel and PascoeEmma CollinsEpisodes: "Dust Thou Art: Parts 1 & 2"2008Poppy ShakespeareRhonaTV film2008HeartbeatJocelyn MiddletonEpisode: "Hey Hey LBJ"2009Agatha Christie's PoirotVal BlandEpisode: "The Clocks"2009–2011DoctorsSue BondRecurring role2010Mrs. RawsonTV film2011MarchlandsEvelyn BowenTV miniseries2012, 2016Holby CityImelda CousinsRecurring role (series 15), guest (series 19), 9 episodes2013LegacyJoyce ThoroughgoodTV film2013Doctor WhoMartaEpisode: "The Time of the Doctor"2014–present GrantchesterMrs. MaguireLeading role2015UnforgottenSheilaEpisodes: "1.1", "1.2", "1.4", "1.5"2019Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private InvestigatorsCynthia SlyEpisode: "No More Cakes and Ale" 2025 The Feud Barbara Main Role
References
External links
Exploring Grantchester character of Mrs. Maguire played by Tessa Peake-Jones