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Emma Noble

Emma Jane Noble (born 26 June 1971) is an English model, actress, and television presenter recognized for her role as a hostess on the game show Bruce's Price Is Right from 1995 to 1998. Noble began her career in modeling, participating in fashion shows for designers such as John Rocha and the Ghost label before transitioning to television. Her presenting work on The Price Is Right, hosted by Bruce Forsyth, involved showcasing prizes and assisting contestants over four years, contributing to the show's revival format in the UK. She later appeared in acting roles, including the film The Truth About Love (2005) and the soap opera Crossroads (2001). In her personal life, Noble married James Major, son of former British Prime Minister John Major, in 1999; the couple had a son before divorcing in 2003. Following her son's autism diagnosis, she became an ambassador for the National Autistic Society, advocating for greater awareness and support through campaigns like "Think differently about autism" and fundraising efforts. This role has been marked by public discussions on family involvement in autistic children's lives, including reported tensions with her former in-laws. Noble also directs Noble House Events and has continued involvement in media and writing.

Early Life

Childhood and Education

Emma Noble was born on 26 June 1971 in , , , the youngest of six children born to Joan Noble, a retired nurse, and , a former printer. The family lived in a council-owned house, indicative of their working-class circumstances. Noble attended Blackfen School for Girls in her youth, where she later recalled being bullied for her studious nature, describing herself as a "." She departed the school at age 16 without completing further formal education, opting instead to train as a . Public records provide scant additional details on early hobbies or influences predisposing her toward public-facing professions.

Professional Career

Modeling Career

Emma Noble began her modeling career in the as a catwalk model, walking for designers including and the label. She subsequently shifted to commercial and glamour modeling, which broadened her visibility in media outlets. Her image gained significant exposure through features in men's publications, notably appearing on the cover of magazine's December 1998 issue, which highlighted her physique in line with the era's editorial style emphasizing curvaceous forms. This period of modeling work contributed to her public profile, facilitating a transition into television presenting as an extension of her media presence.

Television Work

Emma Noble served as a hostess on Bruce's Price Is Right, an game show hosted by that premiered on 4 September 1995. She held the position for four years, assisting in the presentation of prizes and gameplay segments. The format involved contestants competing to guess the retail prices of goods and services to win them as prizes, with bidding rounds leading to on-stage challenges and showcase showdowns. As one of the models alongside Kimberley Cowell and Emma Steadman, Noble displayed items during pricing games and participated in the final showcase, where winners selected from bundled prizes. Her role emphasized clear demonstration of products to aid contestant decisions and maintain show pacing. The series aired in a 7:00 p.m. primetime slot, reviving the format after earlier runs, and continued until 16 December 2001 across seven series. Noble's tenure aligned with the initial seasons, during which the program drew on Forsyth's established appeal to attract viewers.

Acting Roles

Emma Noble's earliest documented acting credit was a minor guest appearance in the 1997 episode "" of the mystery series , where she portrayed a in a red dress featured in a flashback sequence. In 2001, she joined the cast of ITV's short-lived revival of the soap opera Crossroads, playing the recurring role of Suzie Samson, a character entangled in motel-based dramas involving family conflicts and romantic subplots; the series aired until its abrupt cancellation on May 28, 2003, amid low ratings averaging under 2 million viewers per episode. Noble's feature film role came in 2005 with The Truth About Love, a British romantic comedy directed by John Hay, in which she played the supporting character Sheena Divine, a friend offering advice in storylines centered on marital deceptions; the film, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt and Dougray Scott, premiered on July 1, 2005, and earned a 33% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on audience and critic aggregates, with limited box office performance outside the UK. Additional television appearances include a role in the 1996 miniseries by , though details on her specific character remain sparse in production records, and a guest spot in the Casualty, consistent with her pattern of supporting parts in established British series. Her acting credits tapered after 2005, with a final listed role in the 2013 short film The Morning Announcements.

Business and Other Ventures

Emma Noble co-founded Noble House Events in 2008 with her husband, Conrad Baker, serving as a of the company focused on luxury event catering, weddings, contract catering, corporate events, and high-end dining experiences. The venture emphasizes creating memorable gatherings through premium food and beverage services, drawing on Baker's culinary background from establishments like by and . In response to the , Noble House Events expanded into Noble House Prepared in late , introducing a nationwide home-delivery for meals under a "fine food, casual dining" model. This initiative allowed the company to adapt operations amid restrictions on in-person events, providing pre-prepared, premium dishes for consumers seeking restaurant-quality options at home. Post-2000s, Noble shifted toward these entrepreneurial activities in and , transitioning from front-facing roles to operational in the UK-based firm, which continues to handle corporate and private functions.

Personal Life

Marriages and Relationships

Emma Noble married James Major, son of former British Prime Minister , on 29 May 1999 in the Chapel Crypt of , in a private ceremony that the couple attempted to shield from media scrutiny. The union, following a brief courtship, drew significant tabloid interest owing to Noble's background as a glamour model and contrasted with Major's family prominence. The dissolved in 2004 after four years, with Noble obtaining a on grounds of Major's unreasonable behaviour in uncontested proceedings. Noble remarried businessman Conrad Baker on 17 August 2013 at , in a ceremony officiated by the Dean of Canterbury, the Very Reverend Robert Willis. Her son from the first accompanied her down the aisle. No public records indicate a subsequent of this marriage as of the latest available reports.

Children and Family Dynamics

Emma Noble gave birth to her son, Harrison Major (commonly known as Harry), in July 2000. He was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder shortly before his third birthday in 2003, a development that Noble has described as initially devastating, leading to feelings of isolation in managing his needs. The diagnosis prompted early interventions, including speech therapy and behavioral support, which Noble credited with helping Harry develop communication skills despite ongoing challenges like sensory sensitivities and social interaction difficulties. Following her 2006 divorce from James Major, assumed primary responsibility for Harry's upbringing as a , navigating the demands of his alongside financial and logistical strains. She has publicly detailed the exhaustion of solo , including sleepless nights from Harry's meltdowns and the need for vigilance, stating in 2007 that such episodes could last hours and required her full attention without shared respite. emphasized the maddening aspects of daily routines, such as Harry's aversion to certain textures or changes, which disrupted family schedules and amplified pressures in a post-divorce . Relations with Harry's paternal grandparents, former Prime Minister and , have been strained, with Noble reporting in 2012 that they provided no direct support or visits despite her requests for involvement in his care. This lack of extended family engagement left Noble to handle therapeutic appointments and developmental milestones independently, though she noted Harry's progress in areas like reading by age 12. No verifiable records indicate regular interactions between Harry and his grandparents beyond occasional indirect inquiries.

Controversies and Legal Matters

Divorce Proceedings

Emma Noble's marriage to James Major, son of former British Prime Minister John Major, ended in divorce proceedings finalized in April 2004. The divorce was granted on the grounds of Major's "unreasonable behaviour," as cited in court documents, with specific allegations including his refusal to engage in sexual relations for seven months. Major did not contest the petition, leading to an uncontested decree nisi issued in London, which effectively dissolved the four-year marriage without a full trial. James Major later expressed surprise at the proceedings, stating he had not been informed of the hearing in advance. Public details on financial settlements and custody arrangements for their son, Harrison (born circa 2000 and later diagnosed with ), were not disclosed in court records or statements from the parties. The couple's separation had been announced earlier in , with Major moving back to his parents' home amid reports of marital difficulties. In September 2008, Noble publicly accused John Major and his wife, Norma, of maintaining limited contact with their grandson Harrison, claiming they had seen him only sporadically despite his autism diagnosis and her efforts to foster family involvement. James Major refuted these claims as "wholly false and hurtful," asserting that Harrison had brought joy to the family and that his parents regularly visited and supported the child. John and Norma Major denied ignoring their grandson, emphasizing ongoing family ties without further public elaboration. No legal resolution to these estrangement allegations emerged in subsequent reports.

Media and Privacy Issues

Emma Noble pursued legal action against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) as part of the broader UK phone-hacking scandal, alleging unlawful voicemail interception and other privacy intrusions by journalists at the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror. In March 2015, during a High Court hearing on multiple claims, MGN settled with Noble for £40,000 in damages, acknowledging misuse of private information obtained through hacking. This resolution formed part of over 100 civil claims against MGN, where the publisher admitted to systemic phone hacking practices dating back to the early 2000s, leading to total payouts exceeding £12 million by mid-2015. Further settlements followed, with Noble receiving additional "substantial" privacy damages from MGN in July 2015 alongside other claimants, including Law's former assistant and a stuntman, for similar violations. These cases highlighted MGN's reliance on intercepted communications to fuel stories about Noble's personal life, particularly her high-profile marriage to James Major in 1999, which had already drawn intense tabloid scrutiny in the late due to her status as the former prime minister's daughter-in-law. While specific factual inaccuracies in pre-hacking coverage remain unadjudicated in court, the settlements underscored ethical breaches in sourcing personal details without consent, contributing to regulatory reforms like the Leveson Inquiry's recommendations on accountability. Noble's experiences exemplified the vulnerabilities of public figures to media overreach, where enabled invasive reporting on family matters without verifiable justification. No further major privacy lawsuits involving Noble have been publicly resolved, though her 2012 initiation of claims against News International for analogous hacking at reflects ongoing concerns, albeit without detailed settlement outcomes reported. These incidents reinforced calls for stricter data protection in celebrity journalism, influencing subsequent media practices amid heightened scrutiny of tabloid ethics.

Advocacy and Public Engagement

Work with Autism Organizations

Noble donated the proceeds from her 2005 appearance on the program to the (NAS), marking an early contribution to the organization's fundraising efforts. In October 2007, she collaborated with the NAS to raise public awareness about through media interviews, emphasizing the challenges and joys of supporting affected individuals. In 2008, Noble was appointed an ambassador for the , a role in which she served as spokesperson for the organization's "Think Differently About Autism" campaign, aimed at shifting public perceptions toward greater understanding and acceptance of as a distinct neurological condition rather than a deficit. That year, she also planned to produce a focused on to further amplify these messages. Noble continued her ambassadorship with public engagements, including a 2017 interview discussing breakthroughs in autism diagnosis research at . In October 2024, she initiated a personal fundraising challenge to run 100 miles, surpassing her £400 goal by raising £914 for the . These activities have centered on promoting empirical awareness of 's spectrum nature and the need for tailored support, drawing from organizational priorities rather than unsubstantiated advocacy narratives.

Recent Activities

In January 2018, Noble underwent heart surgery at age 46 to address an underlying cardiac condition. Three months later, she disclosed that she had nearly died during the procedure due to complications but ultimately recovered fully. Following her recovery, Noble has engaged in few publicly documented professional endeavors, with no acting credits recorded after 2013. Her public presence has remained minimal, shifting toward private life without notable appearances in media, events, or presentations as of 2025. Personal updates indicate ongoing family-focused activities, such as commemorating holidays and losses, but lack evidence of career-related pursuits.

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