Matilda Ziegler played Mr Bean’s girlfriend but what has she done since? From Eastenders to teaching

With many 'old' shows, people like to know what the actors are up to many years later, like Only Fools and Horses. Indeed, Mr Bean, which aired from 1990 to 1995, saw Rowan Atkinson play Mr Bean, a lovable man struggling to navigate day-to-day life.

Since the show ended in 1995, Rowan Atkinson, who has opened up about struggling with a stammer, has made many films, including two Mr Bean films, and starred in Johnny English and its sequels. But what about the other cast members?

Matilda Ziegler played Mr Bean’s girlfriend, but what has the actress done since the show ended 30 years ago?

Matilda Ziegler in Mr Bean

As mentioned above, Matilda Ziegler played Mr Bean’s girlfriend. Much like Rowan Atkinson’s character, Ziegler didn’t speak much, instead focusing on facial expressions and body language to create humour.

The girlfriend was called Irma Gobb, according to IMDb. In an earlier episode, Ziegler also played a waitress in the episode where the staff of a hotel meet the Queen. In total, Matilda Ziegler appeared in four episodes of Mr Bean.

Ziegler reprised the role of Irma Gobb in 2002 for Mr Bean: The Animated Series, in which she appeared in 24 episodes. The children’s show ran from 2002 to 2019 but continues to air regularly on Boomerang.

What else has Matilda Ziegler done?

According to Cambridgeshire Live, some of Matilda Ziegler’s most notable work includes EastEnders, where she played Donna Ludlow between 1987 and 1989, as well as the period drama Lark Rise to Candleford, where she portrayed Pearl Pratt from 2008 to 2011.

According to IMDb, Ziegler has appeared in a total of 52 productions, including both film and TV series. The actress has often featured in one episode of several popular shows, including Call the Midwife, Vera, and Death in Paradise.

Ziegler had a more regular role in Doctors, appearing in eight episodes between 2007 and 2010. More recently (2024), Matilda appeared in four episodes of The Outlaws.

In a surprising turn of events, Matilda Ziegler’s career goes beyond acting. Indeed, in 2014, it was reported that she had started teaching.

As reported by Eastern Daily Press, Ziegler secured a teaching role at Norwich School. Originally, Matilda had offered to help out at the school when the director of drama fell ill. However, as time passed, she gradually took on more responsibilities and eventually started working full-time as the school’s director of drama.

At the time, she told Eastern Daily Press:

All three of my children are at the school, and I fell into teaching by helping out on a production when the director took ill. I then did a bit more and a bit more over the years.

She added that teaching hadn’t been a career she had considered, but she had previously done workshops with children. Nonetheless, with the little experience she had, she enjoyed the work, especially working with children.

Teaching wasn't really something I had considered; it was all fairly unknown – although I had done individual workshops with children. [...] I knew I liked it, but it's the continuity of working with children over time that I really enjoy.

It is unclear whether or not Ziegler is still working as a teacher in 2025. Moreover, in 2022, Ziegler was named as a new patron for Norwich's Puppet Theatre.

Read More:

John Cleese, Connie Booth: Here is what the cast of Fawlty Towers is doing now

EastEnders: From Letitia Dean to Peter Dean, what is the original cast doing now?

Harry Potter cast members that are now parents, from Rupert Grint to Oliver Phelps

Sources used:

IMDB

Cambridgeshire Live: ‘Rowan Atkinson: Where are all the stars of Mr Bean now?’

Eastern Daily Express: ‘Not just Mr Bean’s long-suffering girlfriend! Actress Matilda Ziegler’s new role at Norwich School’

Eastern Daily Express: ‘Former EastEnders actress and Gaspard author new patrons at puppet theatre’