Clare Holman

Clare Margaret Holman (born 12 January 1964 in London, England) is a distinguished English actress best known for her long‑running role as forensic pathologist Dr. Laura Hobson in the acclaimed crime series Inspector Morse and its successor Lewis. She began her screen career in the 1988 television film The Rainbow, an adaptation of D. H. Lawrence’s novel directed by Stuart Burge, and quickly demonstrated versatility with a supporting turn as schoolteacher Mary Llewellyn in the 1989 adaptation of Catherine Cookson’s The Fifteen Streets. In 1991 she portrayed Iris Bentley, the sister of the infamous Derek Bentley, in the gritty drama Let Him Have It, followed by a voice‑over role as Juliet in the 1992 Shakespeare: The Animated Tales rendition of Romeo and Juliet. Holman’s stage credentials were cemented in November 1993 when she played Harper in Tony Kushner’s Angels in America at the Royal National Theatre, and a year later she earned a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her 1996 performance in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. Her television résumé includes three distinct appearances on Midsomer Murders (2002’s “Ring Out Your Dead”, 2005’s “Country Matters”, and 2019’s “The Miniature Murders”). From 1995 to 2000 she embodied Dr. Hobson in Inspector Morse, a role she revived for the entire twelve‑season run of Lewis (2006‑2015), appearing in all 33 episodes. Beyond acting, Holman expanded into direction, helming six episodes of Doctors in 2010 and two episodes of Holby City in 2012. She continued stage work with the title role of Mabel Bagenal in Brian Friel’s Making History, and in 2013 played Liz in the Tricycle Theatre’s production of Moira Buffini’s Handbagged. Her film work includes a part in Suite Française (2015) and a stage turn in Each His Own Wilderness at the Orange Tree Theatre. Married to director Howard Davies from 2005 until his death in 2016, Holman supports Plan UK’s campaign to end violence against girls, reflecting a commitment to social activism alongside her artistic career.