Nicola Park

Early life

Park was born in 1972 in Clydebank, a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland which borders to the northwest of Glasgow.

Career

Park commenced her acting career in 1996. She received her first role on the short-lived television sitcom Atletico Partick, which was created by Ian Pattison. What followed was the role of Bridie on the sitcom Rab C. Nesbitt, in which she was introduced in season five as Gash's girlfriend's sister but eventually gets pregnant to Gash and giving birth to a baby girl, Peaches. Park played the role of Bridie until she series ended in 1999 at the end of season eight, however, she did return for seasons nine and ten when the series was later revived in 2008. Before she received the role as Bridie, she played another character on the series, that of Rena, in one episode as Rab's sister in a flashback sequence. In 1999 and 2000, Park appeared in three separate guesting roles of the Scottish children's television series Hububb, with Elaine C. Smith, her co-star on Rab C. Nesbitt.

Personal life

Park has had several brushes with death. While seven months pregnant, Park collapsed and was rushed to hospital where she was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, in which her heart stopped and her baby's life was in danger. The condition left her on a life support machine. In 2003, she almost died giving birth to her son, Jude.

In September 2004, more tragedy followed as Park was again rushed to hospital where it was discovered she had pancreatitis. Again, she was left on a life support machine and remained in hospital for seven weeks. Throughout her time in hospital between 2003 and 2004, Park underwent nine operations and is now suffering from diabetes.

Park was involved in two car accidents. In 2005, she suffered from a broken nose and wrist, and severe whiplash following an accident. She was involved in a collision on the Great Western Road, in which she was saved by the cars air bags and having a bump to the head.