Karen Hassan

Actress Karen Hassan first showcased her potential in a string of dramas based on Ireland's troubled history before landing high-profile roles in soap opera "Hollyoaks" (Channel 4, 1995-) and psychological thriller drama "The Fall" (BBC2, 2013-). Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Hassan studied drama at her hometown's Queen's University and treaded the boards in various theatre productions before making her first notable on-screen appearance as a young nun in Heather Graham comedy "Miss Conception" (2008). Switching to more serious fare, Hassan then played prisoner Gerry's girlfriend in Steve McQueen's harrowing account of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands' final days, "Hunger" (2008), and went onto land supporting roles in a number of projects dealing with similarly difficult subject matter. Firstly, she played Pearl Gamble, the late victim of the last Northern Irish man given the death penalty in docu-drama "Last Man Hanging" (BBC1, 2008), and after a brief cameo in the loose adaptation of IRA informer Martin McGartland's memoir, "Fifty Dead Men Walking" (2008), she portrayed Patricia Curran, the daughter of a high court judge whose death led to the wrongful imprisonment of an RAF airman, in "Scapegoat" (BBC1, 2009). Having guested in several episodes of its late night spin-off, "Hollyoaks Later" (E4, 2008-2013), Hassan then joined youth-oriented soap opera "Hollyoaks" (Channel 4, 1995-) as a full-time cast member in 2010. Her character, nurse Lynsey Nolan, proved to be an integral part of the soap's memorable serial killer storyline, but after two years on the show, Hassan decided to leave and was given a tragic exit that took most viewers by surprise. After displaying her comic timing on "Sketchy with Diarmuid Corr" (BBC1, 2010-11), Hassan appeared in two episodes of long-running medical drama "Casualty" (BBC1, 1986-) and was cast as young accountant Annie Brawley, the only victim to survive serial killer Paul Spector's reign of terror in the gripping and highly-acclaimed psychological thriller, "The Fall" (BBC2, 2013-). Hassan then landed parts in historical epic "Vikings" (History Channel, 2013-) and "High Rise" (2015), Ben Wheatley's adaptation of J.G. Ballard's cult novel, before taking on the role of Becky in low-budget family drama, "The Caravan" (2015).