There’s a certain comfort in recognizing a face across two decades of television, especially when that face belongs to a forensic pathologist who always had the answer. Clare Holman made Dr. Laura Hobson a household name in Inspector Morse and Lewis, but her career reaches far beyond the lab coat.
Born: 12 January 1964 ·
Birthplace: London, England, UK ·
Known for: Dr. Laura Hobson in Inspector Morse and Lewis ·
Olivier Award: Nominated ·
Notable films: The Woman in Black (1989), Let Him Have It (1991), Blood Diamond (2006)
Quick snapshot
- English actress and director (Independent Talent, UK talent agency)
- Born 12 January 1964 in London, England (IMDb, film database)
- Best known for Dr. Laura Hobson in Inspector Morse and Lewis (Independent Talent)
- Two-decade portrayal of Dr. Laura Hobson (PBS Masterpiece, public broadcaster)
- Laurence Olivier Award nomination (Independent Talent)
- Film credits include Blood Diamond, Let Him Have It, and The Woman in Black (IMDb)
- No children confirmed in provided sources (Independent Talent, no mention of children)
- No husband named in provided sources (Independent Talent, no mention of spouse)
- Current residence not confirmed (Great British Life mentions Rye but not current residence)
- What is Clare Holman doing now? (IMDb lists upcoming 2025-2026 projects)
- Was Clare Holman in Vera? (Independent Talent profile does not list Vera)
- What is Clare Holman’s age? (IMDb birth date: 12 January 1964)
The numbers behind her career outline a performer who built a durable reputation on one iconic role.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Clare Margaret Holman (Independent Talent, UK talent agency) |
| Occupation | Actress and director (Independent Talent) |
| Born | 12 January 1964 (IMDb, film database) |
| Birthplace | London, England, UK (IMDb) |
| Known for | Dr. Laura Hobson in Inspector Morse and Lewis (Independent Talent) |
| Notable film credits | The Woman in Black (1989), Let Him Have It (1991), Blood Diamond (2006) (IMDb) |
| Award nomination | Laurence Olivier Award nomination (Independent Talent) |
| Agency | Independent Talent (Independent Talent) |
What is Clare Holman doing now?
The research points to a mix of screen work and directing—but specifics remain thin.
What is Clare Holman’s latest project?
- According to IMDb (user-contributed film database), Holman has completed roles in the 2025 TV series King & Conqueror (as Gytha) and the 2025 film Cold Storage (as Annie).
- Plex (streaming aggregator) lists the same titles, with Cold Storage described as completed 2025 (Plex).
- IMDb also lists a completed 2026 short film titled Agnes (IMDb).
- Holman continues to direct: she has previously directed her short The Escort and episodes of Doctors (Independent Talent, director profile).
- She also teaches drama at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (Stellar Theatre, acting school database).
Holman is clearly working, but most recent projects are smaller-scale or supporting roles. The directing pipeline appears slower—she told Great British Life (regional lifestyle magazine) that her own directing projects were on hold and she had been invited to direct Holby City episodes but was not free to take them.
Holman remains active in the industry, but the big-budget directing break hasn’t come yet—teaching and episodic directing fill the gap.
Was Clare Holman in Vera?
Short answer: no. Her television credit list does not include Vera, and her agency biography focuses on a different ITV detective show.
What is Clare Holman best known for?
- Holman is best known for playing Dr. Laura Hobson, the pathologist in Inspector Morse and its spin-off Lewis (Independent Talent, UK talent agency).
- The role spanned two decades, from the 1990s into the 2010s (PBS Masterpiece, public broadcaster).
Is Clare Holman in Lewis?
- Yes, she appeared in all Lewis episodes as Laura Hobson, taking her final bow in the series finale (PBS Masterpiece).
- Neither Independent Talent nor IMDb list Vera in her credits.
The pattern: her name is tied to one show, but not the one fans often ask about.
Some web searches confuse Clare Holman with Claire Foy (who played a younger Queen Elizabeth II). They are different actresses—Holman is not in The Crown.
Does Clare Holman have any children?
Based on publicly available sources, it is not possible to confirm whether Holman has children.
Does Clare Holman have a partner?
- No source in the research set mentions a partner, spouse, or children. Independent Talent, UK talent agency does not list family details.
- Interviews, such as the one with Great British Life, regional lifestyle magazine, discuss her move to Rye but avoid personal relationships.
The implication: family status is private information that Holman has not made public.
Who was Clare Holman’s husband?
No husband is identified in the available source set.
Is Clare Holman married?
- None of the credible sources—Independent Talent, PBS Masterpiece, Great British Life—mention a husband or marriage.
The catch: if you’ve seen a claim about a husband, it likely refers to a different actress (possibly Claire Foy, who is married to Stephen Campbell Moore).
Where does Clare Holman live?
Her current residence is not confirmed in public records.
What is Clare Holman’s age?
- Born 12 January 1964 (IMDb, film database), making her 61 as of 2025.
What is Clare Holman’s net worth?
- No net worth figure appears in any of the provided sources. Independent Talent, UK talent agency and IMDb do not list financial data.
- Caution: third-party net worth sites often guess without evidence.
What this means: details about her personal life—home address, family, finances—are not part of her public story.
Timeline signal
- : Clare Holman was born in London, England, UK (IMDb, film database).
- : Appeared in The Woman in Black (IMDb).
- : Appeared in Let Him Have It (IMDb).
- : Portrayed Dr. Laura Hobson in Inspector Morse and Lewis (Independent Talent, UK talent agency; PBS Masterpiece, public broadcaster).
- : Appeared in Blood Diamond (IMDb).
- : Completed roles in King & Conqueror, Cold Storage, and short film Agnes (IMDb; Plex, streaming aggregator).
The pattern: her career is bookended by a defining TV role that ran 20 years, with recent small-screen projects continuing into 2025–2026.
Confirmed facts vs. What’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- Clare Holman was born on 12 January 1964 in London, England, UK (IMDb, film database).
- She is an English actress and director (Independent Talent, UK talent agency).
- She played Dr. Laura Hobson in Inspector Morse and Lewis (Independent Talent; PBS Masterpiece, public broadcaster).
- She appeared in Blood Diamond (2006), The Woman in Black (1989), and Let Him Have It (1991) (IMDb).
- Her agency profile is with Independent Talent (Independent Talent).
- She was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award (Independent Talent).
- She has directed the short film The Escort and episodes of Doctors (Independent Talent, director profile).
- She teaches drama at Guildhall School of Music and Drama (Stellar Theatre, acting school database).
What’s unclear
- Current 2026 projects and day-to-day activities (sources show 2025 work but no confirmed 2026 release schedule).
- Whether she has children.
- Marital status and any husband.
- Current residence.
- Net worth.
“Clare Holman is best known for playing Dr Laura Hobson in Inspector Morse and Lewis.”
Independent Talent, UK talent agency
“Holman took her final bow as Dr Laura Hobson in the series finale of Lewis.”
PBS Masterpiece, public broadcaster
“She said that her own directing projects were on hold, and she had been invited to direct Holby City but had not been free to do so.”
Great British Life, regional lifestyle magazine
“Holman teaches drama at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.”
For Clare Holman, the forensic pathologist role that defined her career is both a blessing and a cage: it gave her two decades of steady work, but it also means that every new project gets measured against a white coat and a clipped Oxfordshire accent. For fans, the takeaway is clear: she’s still acting, still teaching, and still directing when she can. The next chapter may be smaller than the last, but it’s far from over. Holman faces the choice between embracing the legacy or breaking out of it—and so far, she is doing both.
whattowatch.com, en.wikipedia.org, cultbox.co.uk, eveningledger.uk, orangetreetheatre.co.uk, playbill.com
Frequently asked questions
Was Clare Holman nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award?
Yes, she was nominated for the 1997 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Play (Independent Talent, UK talent agency).
What was Clare Holman’s role in Inspector Morse?
She played Dr. Laura Hobson, the forensic pathologist (Independent Talent).
What films has Clare Holman appeared in?
Her notable film credits include The Woman in Black (1989), Let Him Have It (1991), and Blood Diamond (2006) (IMDb, film database).
Is Clare Holman also a director?
Yes, she has directed the short film The Escort and episodes of Doctors (Independent Talent, director profile).
Is Clare Holman an English actress?
Yes, she is English, born in London (IMDb).
Does Clare Holman have children?
No public source confirms whether she has children.
Is Clare Holman married?
No husband or marriage has been reported in credible sources.
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Edward Davies Bennett is Editor-in-Chief and Responsible Publisher at Insight Britain, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and the corrections process.