Grantchester star Tessa Peake-Jones’ life from real age to ex who was an Only Fools co-star
As Grantchester makes a much-welcomed comeback on ITV, let's take a look at the Mrs Chapman star's life away from the camera
Tessa Peake-Jones is back playing Mrs Chapman as Grantchester returns for series eight on Thursday evening (January 11). After being absent for nearly two years, the ITV detective drama is back with duo DI Geordie Keating (Robson Green) and Reverend Will Davenport (Tom Brittney) solving a string of murders.
Mrs Chapman is an original character in the popular show with actress Tessa playing the part since its debut in 2014. But during the last season of Grantchester, which aired in April 2022, Mrs C received a shock diagnosis but recovered to see Will and Bonnie (Charlotte Ritchie) get married, and now the Grantchester drama continues.
Away from the ITV crime series Tessa, from Hammersmith, is famed for playing Raquel Turner in Only Fools and Horses after arriving in the BBC sitcom during the famous Dates episode which aired on Christmas Day in 1988. Originally a stripper, Raquel and Del Boy Trotter (David Jason) rekindled their romance after they bumped into each other in Margate during The Jolly Boys’ Outing one year later.
Raquel, played by Tessa Peake-Jones, became an absolutely crucial character in the show (Image: Don Smith/Radio Times/Getty Images)
Despite finding their fortune and then losing it again, the couple never married but they did go on to live happily ever after in Peckham along with their son Damien. During her time on the BBC sitcom, Tessa, 66, was in a long-term relationship with her partner Douglas Hodge who went on to play her son for one Only Fools episode.
Who is Tessa Peake-Jones’ ex-partner?
Every Only Fools and Horses fan will know the Heroes and Villains episode inside out. It opens with Rodney Trotter’s (Nicholas Lyndhurst) futuristic dream where his ‘evil’ nephew Damien is head of the very powerful Trotters Independent Traders, who rule the Western world.
This particular scene is set in the year 2026 and grown-up Damien is now declaring war on China from their headquarters Trotters Towers and even states “war is good!”.
Douglas Hodge, 63, played the role of baddie Damien Trotter in the 1996 Christmas special opposite his long-term partner Tessa, who played his mum Raquel Turner in the scene.
The couple got together in 1984 and have two children – their daughter Mollie, born in 1991, and their son Charlie, born in 2000. But sadly it wasn’t meant to be for the two actors as they called time on their relationship in February 2013 after 29 years together.
At the time, a spokesperson for the pair said: “I’m able to confirm that Tessa and Douglas separated in the autumn of last year by mutual and amicable agreement and they will continue to raise their two children jointly.”
Following their split, Hodge went on to marry American wigmaker Amanda Miller. He’s also a Hollywood movie regular with roles in The Descent Part 2 (2009), Robin Hood (2010), Diana (2013), and as Alfred Pennyworth in Joker (2019).
He’s also starred in other popular TV shows including London’s Burning (1988), Spooks (2005), Skins (2010), Outnumbered (2010) and Black Mirror (2017) – to name a few.
