Carol Drinkwater (born 22 April 1948) is an Anglo-Irish actress, author and filmmaker. She portrayed Helen Herriot (née Alderson) in the television adaptation of the James Herriot books All Creatures Great and Small, which led to her receiving the Variety Club Television Personality of the Year award in 1985.

Drinkwater is the daughter of the bandleader and agent, Peter Regan (born Peter Albert Drinkwater) and Irish nurse, Phillis McCormack.