Spencer stars in BBC’s The Gold as Nikki Jennings.

By Molly Moss

Published: Wednesday, 15 February 2023 at 12:00 am


New BBC drama The Gold has landed and captured the attention of viewers with the remarkable story of a heist that went too well.

Inspired by the dramatic events of the Brink’s-Mat robbery in 1983, The Gold depicts one of the most unbelievable true crime cases as well as its legacy and impact on the world.

To do so, The Gold features an all-star cast, including Sean Harris (Southcliffe), Ellora Torchia (Ali and Ava) and Stefanie Martini (Prime Suspect 1973).

Charlotte Spencer also stars in the series as Nikki Jennings, a police detective who works in the flying squad.

“She’s a woman who decided to become a police officer so that she could help people,” the actor previously told Stylist.

“An honest, hard-working woman, who doesn’t let her background define her.”

Read on for everything you need to know about Spencer.

Who is Charlotte Spencer? 

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Charlotte Spencer as Nicki Jennings and Emun Elliott as Tony Brightwell in The Gold.
BBC/Tannadice Pictures/Sally Mais

Spencer is a British actress who began her career in theatre, playing Jane Banks in Mary Poppins aged 12, before going on to star alongside Rowan Atkinson in Oliver.

Her first TV appearance was a small role in Line of Duty, followed by a part in E4’s Glue.

She appears as police detective Nikki Jennings in BBC drama The Gold.

Unlike many of her contemporaries, Spencer isn’t from an acting background and previously told Far Out Magazine“I’ve wanted to act ever since I was very young, like three!

“I’m not from an acting family – my mum works in a primary school and my dad’s a builder and both of them worked very hard to send me to drama school. I’m very glad for what they did for me, I feel incredibly lucky.” 

How old is Charlotte Spencer?

Spencer is 31 years old.

Her acting career began in 2014 with a small role in Line of Duty.

What has Charlotte Spencer previously starred in?

In 2016, Spencer led the BBC’s The Living and the Dead, alongside Colin Morgan.

In 2019, she starred in ITV’s eight-part drama Sanditon as Esther Denham.

However, Spencer is perhaps best known for her work on The Duke and Les Misérables.

What has Charlotte Spencer said about The Gold?

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Charlotte Spencer as Nicki Jennings and Emun Elliott as Tony Brightwell in The Gold.
BBC, Tannadice Pictures,Sally Mais

Talking to Stylist, Spencer said of The Gold: “I was drawn to this project for many reasons, but mainly because the role of Nikki Jennings was so great – she’s such a well written character. I also loved the fact that the story, despite being wild, was real. And, of course, the ’80s was a great decade – especially the fashion.”

Talking about why the heist at the centre of the show is so interesting, she added: “It’s probably the last physical robbery that will ever happen, especially in this country: in the future, I believe it’ll all be done online and through cyber-attacks.”

Is Charlotte Spencer on Instagram?

No, not at present.

Is Charlotte Spencer on Twitter?

No, not at present.

The Gold is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.

The Gold: The Real Story Behind Brink’s-Mat: Britain’s Biggest Heist by Neil Forsyth and Thomas Turner is available to pre-order now.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto see what’s on tonight.

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