Sue Johnston
Biography
Sue Johnston, born Susan Wright on December 7, 1943, in Warrington, Cheshire, England, is an English actress known by the professional names Susan Wright and Susan Johnston. She holds the OBE honor. Her television credits include playing Sheila Grant in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside from 1982 to 1990, Barbara Royle in the BBC comedy The Royle Family across various years from 1998 to 2012, and Grace Foley in the BBC drama Waking the Dead from 2000 to 2011. Additionally, she portrayed Gloria Price in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street from 2012 to 2014 and Miss Denker in the ITV drama Downton Abbey from 2014 to 2015. For her work on The Royle Family, she won the 2000 British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actress and received a nomination for the 2000 BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy Performance.
Career overview
Susan Johnston, also known as Susan Wright, is an English actress born in Warrington, Cheshire, England, on December 7, 1943. She holds the Order of the British Empire and has built an extensive television career with 104 known credits in the acting category on The Movie Database.
Her television work includes prominent roles in several long-running and notable series. She played Sheila Grant in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside from 1982 to 1990 and Barbara Royle in the BBC comedy The Royle Family across various years from 1998 to 2012. Additionally, she portrayed Grace Foley in the BBC drama Waking the Dead from 2000 to 2011, Gloria Price in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street from 2012 to 2014, and Miss Denker in the ITV drama Downton Abbey from 2014 to 2015.
For her work on television, Johnston has received significant recognition, including winning the 2000 British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actress. Furthermore, she received a nomination for the 2000 BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy Performance for her role in The Royle Family.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
103 titles- Ann Droid (2026) as Sue
- Welcome to Borovia (2026) as Matrashka
- Fackham Hall (2025) as Great Aunt Bonaparte
- Play for Today (2025) as Edith Thistle
- Stuffed (2025) as Lily
- Dexter Procter (2025) as Granny Bet
- Big Winners (2025) as Edith Thistle
- Generation Z (2024) as Cecily
- Truelove (2024) as Marion
- The Big Snow of '47 (2024) as Self - Narrator (voice)
- Ricky, Sue & a Trip or Two (2024) as Herself
- The Royle Family - Down the Back of the Sofa (2023) as Self / Barbara Royle (archive footage)
- Ricky Tomlinson Remembers... The Royle Family (2023) as Barbara Royle (archive footage)
- Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy (2023) as Self
- Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) as Gladys Denker
- The Responder (2022) as Madge
- Time (2021) as June Cobden
- Taskmaster’s New Year Treat (2021) as Self
- Help (2021) as Gloria
- Robbo: The Bryan Robson Story (2021) as Self
- Kensington Palace: Behind Closed Doors (2021) as Narrator
- David Jason: Britain's Favourite TV Star (2020) as Narrator
- Celebrity Gogglebox (2019)
- The Cockfields (2019) as Sue
- DNA Journey (2019) as Self
- The Cure (2019) as Bella Bailey
- Walk Like a Panther (2018) as Gladys
- Death on the Tyne (2018) as Colleen
- Age Before Beauty (2018) as Ivy-Rae Regan
- Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule (2017) as Self
- Shannon Matthews: What Happened Next (2017) as Self - Narrator
- Diana and the Paparazzi (2017) as Narrator (voice)
- Shannon Matthews: The Mother's Story (2017) as Narrator
- Rovers (2016) as Doreen
- Golden Years (2016) as Nancy
- British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves (2016) as Barbara Royle (archive footage) (uncredited)
- World Cup 1966: Alfie's Boys (2016) as Self
- The Nation's Favourite Beatles Number One (2015) as Self
- Caring for the Recently Deceased (2014) as Marjoram Bryon
- Being Eileen (2013) as Eileen Lewis
- The Royle Family: Barbara's Old Ring (2012) as Barbara Royle
- Gates (2012) as Miss Hunter
- Celebrity Antiques Road Trip (2011) as Self - Participant
- Lapland (2011) as Eileen Lewis
- Baby Hospital (2011)
- Sugartown (2011)
- Downton Abbey (2010) as Miss Denker
- The Royle Family: Joe's Crackers (2010) as Barbara
- A Passionate Woman (2010) as Betty (1980s)
- The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa (2010) as Self
- The Turn of the Screw (2009) as Sarah Grose
- The Golden Egg Cup (2009) as Barbara Royle
- Tourettes: I Swear I Can't Help It (2009) as Self - Narrator (voice)
- Little Dorrit (2008) as Affery / Affery Flintwinch
- The Royle Family: The New Sofa (2008) as Barbara Royle
- Would I Lie to You? (2007) as Self
- The Alan Titchmarsh Show (2007) as Self
- Jam and Jerusalem (2006) as Sal Vine
- The Street (2006)
- Imagine Me & You (2006) as Ella
- Liverpool FC: One Night in May (2005) as Self
- The Paul O'Grady Show (2004)
- Strictly Come Dancing (2004) as Self
- Who Do You Think You Are? (2004) as Self
- Timeshift (2002) as Self - Narrator
- Cutting It (2002) as Caroline Ferraday
- There's Only One Paul McCartney (2002) as Self
- The Virgin Mary (2002) as Self - Presenter
- Waking the Dead (2001) as Dr. Grace Foley
- My Uncle Silas (2001) as Mrs Betts
- New Year's Day (2001) as Mrs. Fisher
- Score (2001) as Maggie
- Loose Women (1999) as Self
- Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll (1999) as Irma
- Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll (1999)
- Finest Hour (1999) as Commentary
- Parkinson (1998) as Self
- The Royle Family (1998) as Barbara Royle
- Duck Patrol (1998) as Val Rutland
- The Jump (1998) as Maeve Brunos
- Brookside: Friday the 13th (1998) as Sheila Grant
- The Things You Do for Love: Against the Odds (1998) as Pat Phoenix
- Crime Traveller (1997) as Detective Chief Inspector Kate Grisham
- Preaching to the Perverted (1997) as Esmeralda
- Face (1997) as Alice
- Brookside: The Lost Weekend (1997) as Sheila Grant
- Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (1996) as Helga Allowby
- Brassed Off (1996) as Vera
- Hollyoaks (1995) as Sheila Grant
- Measure for Measure (1994) as Mistress Overdone
- Full Stretch (1993) as Grace Robbins
- Luv (1993)
- A Touch of Frost (1992) as Phyllis Bowman
- Bitter Harvest (1992) as Miriam Johnson
- Goodbye Cruel World (1992) as Barbara Grade
- Performance (1991) as Mistress Overdone
- In Suspicious Circumstances (1991) as Edith Rosse
- Medics (1990)
- Inspector Morse (1987) as Mrs. Bailey
- ScreenPlay (1986) as Miriam Johnson
- Brookside (1982) as Sheila Grant
- Today (1952) as Self
- Bilby as Nancy
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Sue Johnston best known for?
Sue Johnston is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Ann Droid (2026), Welcome to Borovia (2026), Fackham Hall (2025), Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022).
When and where was Sue Johnston born?
Sue Johnston was born on December 7, 1943 in Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK.
How many credits does Sue Johnston have?
Sue Johnston has accumulated over 103 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1952 to 2026.
What is Sue Johnston's background in cinema and television?
Sue Johnston, born Susan Wright on December 7, 1943, in Warrington, Cheshire, England, is an English actress known by the professional names Susan Wright and Susan Johnston. She holds the OBE honor. Her television credits include playing Sheila Grant in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside from 1982 to 1990, Barbara Royl...
Sue Johnston by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Downton Abbey (2010) as Miss Denker — aged about 66
- Inspector Morse (1987) as Mrs. Bailey — aged about 43
- Would I Lie to You? (2007) as Self — aged about 63
- Time (2021) as June Cobden — aged about 77
- Imagine Me & You (2006) as Ella — aged about 62
- The Royle Family (1998) as Barbara Royle — aged about 54
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