Laura Doddington

Laura May Doddington (born 2 January 1981) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Nicola Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders since 2024. Her other roles include her portrayal of Zara in several of the Doctor Who audio productions, as well as her appearances in medical dramas such as Doctors, Casualty and Holby City. She has also provided voices for numerous video games including Age of Empires IV and Assassin's Creed Valhalla and has appeared extensively in various theatre productions in a stage career spanning two decades.

Early life and education Laura May Doddington was born on 2 January 1981 in Cambridge, England. Doddington studied at Queen Margaret University between 1999 and 2002, where she obtained a BA degree in acting.

Career In 2004, Doddington made her stage debut in the plays I Ought to Be in Pictures, and went on to appear in numerous other plays at the Stephen Joseph Theatre over the next two years, which included Miranda's Magic Mirror (2004), Her Slightest Touch (2004), For Starters (2004), Miss Yesterday (2004), Time and Time Again (2005), Improbable Fiction (2005–2006), Caution Trousers (2005) and The Champion of Paribanou (2006). She subsequently began appearing in further stage productions for various theatre companies.

Doddington's television debut was in the final two episodes of Prime Suspect in October 2006. She has appeared in numerous Doctor Who audio productions, primarily as the character Zara, which she first played in the audio adaptations Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles and Doctor Who: The Monthly Adventures in 2009. The same year she appeared as Trudy Parks in Man of the Moment at the Royal & Derngate theatre, before appearing in an episode of the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Barbara, a woman leading an antenatal class attended by Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra) and Zainab Masood (Nina Wadia). She also played Julia Sindall in an episode of The Bill. In 2014, she appeared in an episode of Casualty as Tina Connolly. In 2015, she appeared in Educating Rita at The Mill at Sonning and in Boeing-Boeing at the Oldham Coliseum Theatre.

In 2019, Doddington appeared in an episode of Holby City as Abbey Ealy. In 2022, she appeared in the Sky Max sci-fi series The Midwich Cuckoos as DS Mayes. In 2024, Doddington returned to EastEnders and was cast in the regular role of Nicola Mitchell. Her character was introduced as the ex-wife of Teddy Mitchell (Roland Manookian) and mother of Harry (Elijah Holloway) and Barney Mitchell (Lewis Bridgeman).

Filmography Film and television Year Title Role Notes 2006 Prime Suspect DC Wood 2 episodes 2008 Doctors Clare Porter Episode: "Life's a Beach" 2009 The Bill Julia Sindall Episode: "Got You Wrong" 2014 Casualty Tina Connolly Episode: "Only the Lonely" 2018 Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom 2009 Doctor Who: The Monthly Adventures Zara 2 episodes 2010–2017 Graceless Zara 4 series 2014 The Confessions of Dorian Gray The Woman in Blue / Sally 2 episodes 2015 Gallifrey Vale Endrogan Episode: "Intervention Earth" 2015 The Worlds of Big Finish Zara Episode: "The Archive" 2016 Torchwood: Monthly Range The Graces Episode: "Ghost Mission" 2016 Doctor Who: The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield Idratz Episode: "The Very Dark Thing" 2016 The Torchwood Archive Delilah Podcast series 2017 The War Master Lady Sutlumu / Second Official 2 episodes 2020 Torchwood: The Sins of Captain John Baroness Ha-ha / Frances, Duchess of Winchester Episode: "Ghost Mission" 2020 Doctor Who: Wicked Sisters Zara Podcast series

Stage Year Title Role Venue 2004 I Ought to Be in Pictures Libby Stephen Joseph Theatre 2004 Her Slightest Touch Girl Stephen Joseph Theatre 2004 For Starters Daisy Stephen Joseph Theatre 2004 Miss Yesterday Tammy Laidlaw Stephen Joseph Theatre 2005 Time and Time Again Joan Stephen Joseph Theatre 2005–2006 Improbable Fiction Ilsa Stephen Joseph Theatre 2005 Caution Trousers Debs Stephen Joseph Theatre 2006 The Champion of Paribanou Murganah Stephen Joseph Theatre 2006 Oleanna Carol New Vic Theatre 2007 Noises Off Poppy Norton-Taylor Everyman Theatre, Liverpool 2007 Time of My Life Stephanie Royal & Derngate 2008 On a Shout Jo / Louise / Pam Hull Truck Theatre 2008 Wives as They Were and Maids as They Are Maria Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds 2009 Private Fears in Public Places Imogen Royal & Derngate 2009 Man of the Moment Trudy Parks Royal & Derngate 2010 Alphabetical Order Lesley New Vic Theatre 2010–2011 Life of Riley Tamsin Stephen Joseph Theatre 2010–2011 Communicating Doors Poopay Stephen Joseph Theatre 2012 Absurd Person Singular Jane Hopcroft Stephen Joseph Theatre 2012–2013 Surprises Sylvia / Zandy Stephen Joseph Theatre 2013 Mansfield Park Mary Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds 2014 Bedroom Farce Susannah Oldham Coliseum Theatre 2015 Educating Rita Rita The Mill at Sonning 2015 Boeing-Boeing Gloria Oldham Coliseum Theatre 2022 The Birds and the Bees Sarah New Wolsey Theatre 2023 They Don't Pay? We Won't Pay! Anthea Mercury Theatre, Colchester 2023 Yours Unfaithfully Anne Meredith Jermyn Street Theatre 2023 Owners Marion Jermyn Street Theatre

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2025 British Soap Awards Best Newcomer EastEnders 2025 Inside Soap Awards Best Newcomer EastEnders