Helen Baxendale

Helen Victoria Baxendale (born 7 June 1970) is an English actress known for her roles in stage and television. She gained recognition for her portrayal of Rachel Bradley in the British comedy drama Cold Feet (1997–2003) and Emily Waltham in the American sitcom Friends (1998–1999). Baxendale received a nomination for the 1993 Ian Charleson Award for her performance in The Soldiers at Glasgow's Citizens Theatre. Her other notable television credits include Cardiac Arrest (1994–1996), An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (1997–1999), Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years (2001), Cuckoo (2012–2019), and Noughts + Crosses (2020). Baxendale was born in Pontefract, West Riding of Yorkshire, and attended King Edward VI School, Lichfield. She initially trained as a ballet dancer before pursuing acting.