Gail Taplin

Gail Taplin was born in Essex, England in 1960. She was an only child until the age of seven and whilst not an outgoing child, she was interested in many things and would happily go walking down the lanes of Stanford-le-Hope, exploring nature and collecting pieces of pottery and old glass which she found in the surrounding fields. Such finds were the result of centuries of dumped refuse, brought by barges from London along the Thames to Mucking tip and its surrounds. She attended Hassenbrook Comprehensive Senior School. It was here that she gained her love of literature at the hands of popular English teachers, Mrs Williams and Mr Lynch. She became fascinated by the history of her local area with the realisation that the school was named after nearby Hassingbrooke Manor and that her home town was named after a bend in the Thames known as the "Hope", a shelter from the currents for passing ships and boats, "Stanford" being a "stony ford" enabling a crossing of "the hope". She went on to further study Literature at Palmers 6th Form College in Grays, Thurrock, along with Languages, German, French and Italian, because, at that time, she wanted to be a Travel Guide. In her younger teen years, she had accompanied her Grandfather on coach trips to historic houses and villages, and took a liking to the job of the guides who led the tours. Having witnessed one driver manoeuvre a full-sized coach through the old entrance to Winchelsea in East Sussex with inches to spare, she also wanted a coach driver! But after attending Careers Conferences held at the Palmers College two years running, she decided to join Essex Police, with the "mens rea" that this was a job where she could help people and which would make her Grandfather, proud. Sadly, he died before she passed out from Police Training College. Still not fully understanding what she had signed up to and coming from a relatively sheltered background, after 2 years probation, Gail went on to be a hard-working and instinctive Police officer and Detective. She realised it was what she was always meant to do and she had a natural ability with both victims and offenders. During her 30 year service, she received three Chief Constable's Commendations. Gail has always had the ability to "act" as many of her Policing roles demanded it! She has had to be all things to all people. But it is only in the last four years that she has had the freedom to devote all of her time to her new career. Gail is now a successful Photographic Model, Actress & Supporting Artiste and a Voice-Actress. She sings Soprano in a variety of genres. Her first role was as an Extra in BBC's The Coroner The Beast of Lighthaven (2016) but she has since been in many films and TV programmes. Her first credit came as Princess Sisi in The Worlds' Greatest Palaces Schönbrunn Palace (2019) produced by Woodcutt Media for Yesterday Channel. She is the voice of "Death" in Spilt Coffee Productions radio piece, "Beneath" produced to encourage donations to the Royal British Legion. Gail was married for 23 years to former Police Inspector, Brian Taplin, with whom she was sometimes able to sing in his band, "Silver Lining" and from whom she learnt to be a Competition standard Green Bowler. She is an excellent tennis player, loves long-distance walking, travel of any description and is a Wildlife and Countryside conservation volunteer. Gail now lives on the coast in Dorset.