As daughter of 14-time British champion jump trainer Paul Nicholls, Nicholls rode more than 100 winners during a seven-year career before retiring in 2002, aged 25, to pursue a career in the media.

She is a key part of the ITV Racing team for all the big racing festivals on the jumps and the flat. She won the Horserace Writers and Photographers award for emerging talent in 2023.