She read drama at the University of Manchester, taking roles in a number of student productions including Narrow Road to the Deep North by Edward Bond, and the lead in Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children.
[2] Pickles played the lead role as Miss Bluebell in the BBC series of the same name, based on the career of Margaret Kelly Leibovici, in 1986.
[citation needed] She also appeared in The Bill for two years as DCI Kim Reid, as Simone Trevelyan in May to December and in The Tales of Para Handy as Lady Catherine Ramsay.
Pickles has appeared in a number of films, including Roman Polanski's Tess (1979), Agatha (1979) and The Mirror Crack'd (1980).
Pickles appeared in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 as the Muggle Studies teacher, Charity Burbage.