The Jetty’s Jenna Coleman: Expecting first baby with director, painful split from famous ex, and finding fame on Emmerdale

The Jetty star Jenna Coleman is fast becoming one of TV’s most popular and bankable TV actors, alongside the likes of Sarah Lancashire, Suranne Jones, and Katherine Jelly – all of whom started out soaps.

This week, Jenna leads the cast in BBC One detective thriller The Jetty. She plays Detective Ember Manning in the four part series set in a scenic Lancashire lake town.

When a fire tears through a property, Ember must work out how it connects to a podcast journalist investigating a missing persons cold case, and an illicit relationship between a man in his twenties and two underage girls…

It’s another unmissable performance from Jenna, who has already proved herself in The Serpent, Wilderness, Victoria, and Doctor Who.

Here’s everything you need to know about The Jetty star Jenna Coleman – who is currently pregnant with her first child – including the identity of her partner, her famous ex, and how she left Emmerdale…

Who plays Detective Ember Manning in The Jetty?

Actress Jenna Coleman portrays Detective Ember Manning in new BBC One thriller The Jetty.

Ember is called to investigate a fire in a Lancashire holiday home. Somehow, the fire connects both to a true crime podcaster investigating a missing persons cold case, and an adult man’s relationship with two underage girls. Ember needs to find out how – and fast.

As Ember comes closer to finding answers, however, the case becomes entangled with her own personal life. What is the truth behind Ember’s past, present, and her hometown? And how is it all connected to a fire?

BBC One describes The Jetty as “as much a coming-of-age story as a detective thriller”, promising the series will pick up where the Me Too movement left off.

Speaking about the series, Jenna says: “Working with BBC and Firebird Pictures on bringing the complex and enigmatic character of Ember Manning to life has been an incredible experience.

“I can’t wait for everyone to meet this new heroine and to find out what’s lurking beneath the surface of The Jetty.”

What has Jenna been in? How is she famous?

From Jasmine Thomas in Emmerdale to Clara Oswald in Doctor Who, Jenna has enjoyed a steady rise to fame. She began her career in the ITV soap when she was just 19.

The young actress put drama school on hold to audition for the part and made her first appearance in 2005. At the time, she said: “I just thank my lucky stars I’ve started off in this industry with such a fantastic break.”

Jenna left the soap in to play ‘bad girl’ Lindsay James in Waterloo Road, and said playing a schoolgirl at the age of 23 was “surreal”. She subsequently landed the plum role of Clara Oswald in Doctor Who in 2012.

After she left Doctor Who, Jenna then played Queen Victoria in the ITV drama, Victoria. In 2018, she portrayed Joanna Lindsay in The Cry, before playing Marie-Andrée Leclerc in The Serpent, Johanna Constantine in The Sandman, and Liv Taylor in Wilderness.

Other notable roles include Annie Desmond in the TV series Titanic, Susan Brown in Room at the Top, Rosie in Dancing on the Edge, and Lydia Wickham in Death Comes to Pemberley. Jenna has also appeared in multiple theatre productions, including opposite Aidan Turner in Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons.

Why did Jenna leave Doctor Who?

Jenna Coleman played Clara Oswald in Doctor Who, from series 7 in 2012, to series 9 in 2015. She also appeared in the series 11 episode Twice Upon a Time.

Clara was the sidekick of Peter Capaldi‘s The Twelfth Doctor. Peter played the Doctor until 2017, with his new sidekick Bill (Pearl Mackie).

It was reported that Jenna quit the much-loved sci-fi show to play Victoria in the ITV drama. However, in an interview, she said that it was a simple case of her contract ending.

She told Entertainment Weekly: “My contract was up at the end of last season, so that initiated conversations of, ‘Okay, when and how?’”

In the show, Jenna’s character Clara left the Doctor on Earth to start his adventures anew. She began traveling with Ashildr in a stolen TARDIS with the intention of one day returning to Gallifrey to meet her end, although vowing to “take the long way around”.

Was Jenna Coleman in Emmerdale?

Jenna’s very first TV role was playing Jasmine Thomas in the ITV soap Emmerdale in 2005. She stayed until 2009, after appearing in 210 episodes.

Jasmine was the niece of Ashley Thomas, and she eventually came out as a gay. In a later storyline, Jasmine started a relationship with Debbie Dingle.

Her most significant storyline was when she killed dodgy policeman Shane as he tried to rape her. His body was eventually found and, in March 2009, Jasmine was charged with manslaughter and given four years in prison. She and Debbie said their love would last forever. It didn’t.

Who is the boyfriend of Jenna Coleman?

Actress Jenna Coleman is in a relationship with director Jamie Childs. The pair met whilst filming Netflix’s Sandman – a series adapted from Neil Gaiman’s popular comic book series.

Jamie and Jenna are said to have fallen for each other on the set of Netflix drama The Sandman in 2020. Jenna played occult detective Johanna Constantine in the fantasy drama, appearing in three episodes of the 11-part series. Jamie Childs directed four episodes of the show.

He’s also known for directing episodes of His Dark Materials, Willow, Lucky Man, Vera, and Doctor Who – although not episodes featuring Jenna.

In 2023, Jamie directed his girlfriend Jenna again. This time in the film Jackdaw, which he also wrote.

Is Jenna Coleman pregnant?

Actress Jenna Coleman is currently pregnant with her first baby. The Emmerdale star was first spotted cradling her growing baby bump on the red carpet in June 19.

The actress was at a celebratory dinner for the opening of Imaginary Conversations: An ERDEM Collection Inspired by Duchess Deborah at Chatsworth House. Jenna appeared to be glowing as she sported a green, black and white floral dress and smiled at the camera for a snap.

The actress previously told Harper’s Bazaar that she was in no rush to have children, stating: “Half of my friends have babies, and half don’t, so it doesn’t feel like a pressure. I want to take my time. There’s a whole lot more of the world for me to see first.”

Joking about playing Queen Victoria, who had nine children, she added: “I’d love to have children one day. But not nine of them. I can tell you that as a fact.”

The actress previously joked that she’s had experience with labour whilst playing the royal in the series Victoria. And she admitted she watched a string of episodes of reality show One Born Every Minute to prepare for the role.

Jenna quipped to Jonathan Ross on his chat show: “I have had many a labour scene now, I’m running out of noises for labour scenes. I’ve just given birth to the seventh child now. And there is still no pain relief as of yet either.”

She added: “To be honest, I find if I build up adrenaline and then don’t think about it and then watch it back, I think I sounded like a sheep on one thing that I saw back before. I’d just have loads of caffeine and then get really built up. I’m sure one day maybe if I ever give birth I’ll realise I was totally wrong.”

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Did she date Victoria co-star Tom Hughes?

Jenna previously dated her Victoria co-star Tom Hughes, who played her on-screen husband Albert. The pair were in a relationship for four years.

However, the Daily Mail reported that the two had split up in 2020. A source told the newspaper that “they are trying to salvage a friendship but obviously these are trying times, and it’s not easy.

“Both Tom and Jenna are terribly sad, but the relationship ran its course. There was no third party involved.”

Prior to Tom, Jenna dated Game of Thrones and Bodyguard star Richard Madden on and off for four years. They remain friends to this day.

She also had to publicly deny rumours that she was dating Prince Harry before he met Meghan Markle.

How old is Jenna? Where is she from?

Jenna-Louise Coleman was born on April 27, 1986, in Blackpool, Lancashire.

She is currently 38 years of age.

The actress attended Arnold School in Blackpool, and was subsequently offered a place to study English at the University of York. However, she turned it down in order to accept the role of Jasmine Thomas in Emmerdale.