Felicity Montagu

Felicity Montagu (born Felicity Jane Montagu on 12 September 1960) is an English actress whose career spans over three decades, marked by a distinctive talent for comedic character work and an enduring presence on both screen and stage. She first came to public attention after graduating from the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art and quickly secured roles in BBC Radio 4 comedies, where her voice became a familiar fixture in programmes such as Old Harry's Game and Revolting People. Montagu's film breakthrough arrived with her memorable turn as Perpetua, the officiously unpleasant colleague in Bridget Jones's Diary, a role that highlighted her ability to blend sarcasm with subtle vulnerability. She later reprised her iconic television character Lynn Benfield, the long‑suffering assistant to Alan Partridge, in the feature film Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, cementing her status as a beloved supporting actress in British comedy. Throughout the 2000s she appeared in a variety of films including Confetti, I Want Candy, and How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, often portraying sharply drawn, slightly eccentric women that added depth to ensemble casts. On television she has amassed an extensive résumé, with credits ranging from the cult series Doc Martin and the dark satire Nighty Night to the children's adventure Hank Zipzer and the critically acclaimed drama The End of the F*ing World. Her theatrical work includes notable West End productions such as Quartermaine's Terms alongside Rowan Atkinson and a praised performance as Mrs Bennet in a Liverpool Playhouse adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. In her personal life Montagu married Alan Nixon in 1984, with whom she has two children, Olivia and Luke, and she continues to contribute to radio, film, and television projects while maintaining a reputation for impeccable timing and a uniquely dry wit.