Quick answer: Tara Newley is the daughter of Dame Joan Collins and the late Anthony Newley. A producer, poet, and screenwriter, she has stepped away from public life to raise her family in Somerset, England, and recently debuted as a novelist with Radio Honey. She is married to fantasy sci-fi author Nick Arkle.
Tara Newley grew up surrounded by two of entertainment’s most recognizable names. Her mother, Dame Joan Collins, built one of Hollywood’s most enduring careers. Her father, Anthony Newley, was a celebrated actor, singer, and composer who died in 1999. Despite that inheritance, Tara Newley has spent much of her adult life deliberately outside the spotlight — writing, raising her children, and building a creative identity on her own terms.
That shift is now taking a concrete form. With the publication of her debut novel Radio Honey and several projects in development, Tara Newley is establishing herself as a writer in her own right.
Who Is Tara Newley?
Tara Newley is a British producer, poet, and screenwriter. She is the daughter of Dame Joan Collins and Anthony Newley, who married in 1963 and divorced in 1971. Tara has a brother, Sacha Newley, who is a portrait artist.
Her creative credits span multiple disciplines. On IMDbPro, she is listed as a producer on a project called Graffiti Boy ❤ Guerrilla Girl, and an Anthony Newley biopic is currently in development — a project that carries obvious personal significance.
Tara is married to Nick Arkle, an author known for his work in fantasy and science fiction. The couple has two children: Miel and Weston.
What Is Tara Newley Doing Now?
Tara Newley lives in Somerset, England, with her husband and children. The move to the countryside was deliberate. She has spoken openly about needing distance from the world she grew up in — not out of resentment, but out of a need to define herself beyond her family name.
Her debut novel, Radio Honey, marks a significant step in that process. The book represents the clearest public expression yet of her identity as a writer, separate from her role as a producer or her lineage as a Newley.
Several projects remain in active development, including the Anthony Newley biopic listed on IMDbPro. Whether that project brings Tara Newley back into a more public-facing role remains to be seen.
What Did Tara Newley Say About Stepping Away From Fame?
In an interview with Hello! Magazine, Tara Newley spoke directly about her decision to leave the public eye. Her words offer a clear account of her reasoning.
“Stepping away from the limelight and having time to quietly contemplate in the countryside was the best thing I could have done,” she said.
She also addressed the specific challenge of forming an identity in the shadow of two larger-than-life parents: “After being around these incredibly twinkly, fabulous people, it took me a while to establish who I am. I got away from everything to find out what really matters to me — and that’s my family and my writing.”
Those two priorities — family and writing — define how Tara Newley has structured her life in Somerset. The Hello! interview presents a woman who does not regret the world she came from, but who made a conscious choice to build something separate from it.
Tara Newley’s Family and Background
Tara Newley’s father, Anthony Newley, died in April 1999 following a battle with renal cell carcinoma. He was 67. Newley’s career spanned acting, songwriting, and directing, and he remains best known for co-writing the themes to Goldfinger and Feeling Good, the latter of which has been recorded by dozens of artists.
Her mother, Dame Joan Collins, received her damehood in 2015 for services to charity. Tara was present at the investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
Dame Joan Collins married producer Percy Gibson in 2002. Gibson is her fifth husband and has remained her partner for more than two decades. Tara also has a half-sister, Katy Kass, born from Anthony Newley’s relationship with Dareth Rich.
The family background is layered, but Tara Newley’s public statements suggest she processes it with clarity rather than complication. Her focus, by her own account, is on what she is building now — not on the circumstances she was born into.
Where Is Tara Newley Now?
Tara Newley is based in Somerset, writing and raising her family. Her debut novel Radio Honey is published and available. The Anthony Newley biopic remains in development on IMDbPro, alongside her credit on Graffiti Boy ❤ Guerrilla Girl.
She is not pursuing a high-profile public presence. That appears to be an active choice, consistent with the direction she described in her Hello! Magazine interview. Her creative output — a novel, a project in development, a career built across multiple disciplines — reflects a writer who is productive without being performative.
Tara Newley’s story is straightforward: she grew up at the center of celebrity, stepped back from it by design, and is now doing the work she set out to do.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tara Newley
Who are Tara Newley’s parents?
Tara Newley is the daughter of Dame Joan Collins, the British actress, and Anthony Newley, the British actor, singer, and composer. Her parents married in 1963 and divorced in 1971.
What is Tara Newley’s debut novel?
Tara Newley’s debut novel is titled Radio Honey. It was written during her years living in Somerset, away from public life.
Who is Tara Newley married to?
Tara Newley is married to Nick Arkle, an author who writes in the fantasy and science fiction genres. They have two children together: Miel and Weston.
Where does Tara Newley live?
Tara Newley lives in Somerset, England. She relocated to the countryside deliberately, citing the need for space and quiet to focus on her family and writing.
Is Tara Newley working on any film or TV projects?
According to IMDbPro, Tara Newley is attached to a project called Graffiti Boy ❤ Guerrilla Girl and an Anthony Newley biopic that is currently listed as in development.
When did Anthony Newley die?
Anthony Newley died in April 1999 from renal cell carcinoma at the age of 67.
Was Tara Newley at Dame Joan Collins’ damehood ceremony?
Yes. Tara Newley was present at Buckingham Palace in 2015 when her mother, Dame Joan Collins, received her damehood for services to charity.
Sophia Carter is an entertainment journalist and celebrity culture writer with a passion for covering Hollywood news, celebrity biographies, lifestyle trends, and pop culture stories. She specializes in researching public figures, industry developments, and trending entertainment topics to create engaging, accurate, and reader-friendly content. Through her work, Sophia aims to provide readers with well-researched insights and timely updates from the world of entertainment.