Name:     Nicola Russell Played By:     Julia Burchell Age:     17 Occupation:     Student
Character Quote:	"I was the one who told dad about mum and Billy. It was me. I killed him."

Unfortunate as it may be, Nicola has a habit of disrupting funerals. She interrupted Jill Harvey's funeral in June 2001 after Adam was saying how pleased he was that Phil had been locked away for murdering Phil (it later emerged that Adam had murdered Jill). Nicola's next interruption was at her own father's funeral in December 2001 and openly told her mother that she hated her. Later Nicola blamed herself for her father's death and thought that by telling Patrick about Kate's affair with Billy, it killed her father.

Nicola blamed her mother's affair with Billy for the death of Patrick and couldn't understand why Kate wouldn't cry for her loss, putting it down to guilt. Guilt that Kate hadn't run off with Billy in the first place. At her father's funeral Nicola wasn't prepared to go until Scott took her hand and led the way.

Nicola's best friend was Chloe Simms, who has moved to Tenerife to start a new job as a tour rep. Nicola wanted to go on the job of her dreams but eventually decided to stay at home with Phil. The pair have recently visited a family planning clinic.

Some might say that Nicola was spoilt by her parents, having everything she wants more or less on demand and that this pampering has gone to her head. She was prepared to drop her education for Phil, a move promptly dissuaded by her father. Kate eventually came round to the idea her daughter dating Phil but it took Patrick a lot longer.

In 2002, Nicola was introduced to Jasmine, an rights campaigner, who has Nicola wrapped round her little finger. Jasmine has a sensitive side though - Nicola told her that she had a sexually transmitted disease due to sleeping with Josh.

In recent weeks Nicola has become like a friend to Scott who seemed to have nobody else to turn to after Daniel left. She worried heavily about him when he ran off with Tracey in March/April 2002 and confronted Jake over Scott's revelation that his mother was in jail which she wasn't.

In February 2002 Nicola became involved with Josh and Steve, old acquaintances of Chloe. They took Nicola on a joyride and wrapped their car around a lampost in the Crossroads car park - the only reason Nicola didn't get into any trouble was because the CCTV camera videotape ran out. After this, Nicola slept with Josh who later tried to touch her. He later blackmailed her not to go to the police.