Sue Johnston
Born: 1943-12-07 in Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK
Known For: Acting
Biography
Susan Johnston, OBE (née Wright; born 7 December 1943) is an English actress known for playing Sheila Grant in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside (1982–1990), Barbara Royle in the BBC comedy The Royle Family (1998–2000, 2006, 2008–2010, 2012), Grace Foley in the BBC drama Waking the Dead (2000–2011), Gloria Price in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street (2012–2014) and Miss Denker in the ITV drama Downton Abbey (2014–2015). She won the 2000 British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actress and was nominated for the 2000 BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy Performance for The Royle Family.
Filmography
2025
- Big Winners as Edith Thistle
- Dexter Procter as Granny Bet
2024
- Truelove as Marion
- Generation Z as Cecily
- Ricky, Sue & a Trip or Two as Herself
- The Big Snow of '47 as Self - Narrator (voice)
2023
- Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy as Self
- Ricky Tomlinson Remembers... The Royle Family as Barbara Royle (archive footage)
- The Royle Family - Down the Back of the Sofa as Self / Barbara Royle (archive footage)
2022
- Downton Abbey: A New Era as Gladys Denker
- The Responder as Madge
2021
- Time as June Cobden
- Help as Gloria
- Taskmaster’s New Year Treat as Self
- Robbo: The Bryan Robson Story as Self
- Kensington Palace: Behind Closed Doors as Narrator
2020
- David Jason: Britain's Favourite TV Star as Narrator
2019
- The Cure as Bella Bailey
- The Cockfields as Sue
- DNA Journey as Self
2018
- Death on the Tyne as Colleen
- Walk Like a Panther as Gladys
- Age Before Beauty as Ivy-Rae Regan
2017
- Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule as Self
- Diana and the Paparazzi as Narrator (voice)
- Shannon Matthews: The Mother's Story as Narrator
- Shannon Matthews: What Happened Next as Self - Narrator
2016
- Golden Years as Nancy
- Rovers as Doreen
- World Cup 1966: Alfie's Boys as Self
- British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves as Barbara Royle (archive footage) (uncredited)
2015
2014
- Caring for the Recently Deceased as Marjoram Bryon
2013
- Being Eileen as Eileen Lewis
2012
- Gates as Miss Hunter
- Barbara's Old Ring as Barbara Royle
2011
- Celebrity Antiques Road Trip as Self - Participant
- Lapland as Eileen Lewis
- Sugartown
- Baby Hospital
2010
- Downton Abbey as Miss Denker
- The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa as Self
- Joe's Crackers as Barbara
- A Passionate Woman as Betty (1980s)
2009
- The Turn of the Screw as Sarah Grose
- The Golden Egg Cup as Barbara Royle
- Tourettes: I Swear I Can't Help It as Narrator (voice)
2008
- Little Dorrit as Affery / Affery Flintwinch
- The New Sofa as Barbara Royle
2007
- Would I Lie to You? as Self
- The Alan Titchmarsh Show as Self
2006
- Imagine Me & You as Ella
- The Street
- Jam and Jerusalem as Sal Vine
2004
- Strictly Come Dancing as Self
- The Paul O'Grady Show
- Who Do You Think You Are? as Self
2002
- Timeshift as Self - Narrator
- Cutting It as Caroline Ferraday
- The Virgin Mary as Self - Presenter
2001
- Waking the Dead as Dr. Grace Foley
- My Uncle Silas as Mrs. Betts
- Score as Maggie
2000
- New Year's Day as Mrs. Fisher
1999
- Loose Women as Self
- Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll as Irma
- Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll
- Finest Hour as Commentary
1998
- Parkinson as Self
- The Royle Family as Barbara Royle
- Brookside: Friday the 13th as Sheila Grant
- Duck Patrol as Val Rutland
- The Jump as Maeve Brunos
- The Things You Do for Love: Against the Odds as Pat Phoenix
1997
- Face as Alice
- Preaching to the Perverted as Esmeralda
- Brookside: The Lost Weekend as Sheila Grant
- Crime Traveller
1996
- Hetty Wainthropp Investigates as Helga Allowby
- Brassed Off as Vera
1995
- Hollyoaks as Sheila Grant
1994
- Measure for Measure as Mistress Overdone
1993
- Full Stretch as Grace Robbins
- Luv
1992
- A Touch of Frost as Phyllis Bowman
- Bitter Harvest as Miriam Johnson
1991
- Performance as Mistress Overdone
1990
1987
- Inspector Morse as Mrs. Bailey
1982
- Brookside as Sheila Grant
1952
- Today as Self