Sue Johnston

Sue Johnston

1943-12-07 Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK 40 Credits

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 ...

Known For

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Complete Filmography

The Big Snow of '47

The Big Snow of '47

2024

as Self - Narrator (voice)

Acting

Houses buried under snow. Rivers frozen solid. World War II bombers dropping bread to isolated villages. How did Brits survive the snowiest winter eve...

Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy

Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy

2023

as Self

8.0
Acting

The unique life and talent of Caroline Aherne is celebrated in a new Arena film, featuring unseen photographs and contributions from a cast of her lif...

Downton Abbey: A New Era

Downton Abbey: A New Era

2022

as Gladys Denker

7.2
Acting

The Crawley family goes on a grand journey to the south of France to uncover the mystery of the dowager countess's newly inherited villa. Meanwhile, a...

Robbo: The Bryan Robson Story

Robbo: The Bryan Robson Story

2021

as Self

6.5
Acting

Robbo is a remarkable feature film that tells the story of one of England and Manchester United’s greatest ever midfielders. From a working class kid ...

Help

Help

2021

as Gloria

7.1
Acting

Sarah seems to have found her calling working in a Liverpool care home where she has a special talent for connecting with the residents. Then, in Marc...

David Jason: Britain's Favourite TV Star

2020

as Narrator

Acting

Sir David Jason is a bona fide TV legend and one of the finest actors of his generation. As part of Channel 5's latest series of tribute documentaries...

The Cure

The Cure

2019

as Bella Bailey

7.5
Acting

The story of an ordinary woman who exposed one of the worst hospital care scandals in the history of the NHS. Based on the inspiring real-life story o...

Death on the Tyne

Death on the Tyne

2018

as Colleen

5.8
Acting

Draper's Tours are taking Mildred and her care home friends on an overnight ferry trip from North Shields to Amsterdam, where things will quickly turn...

Walk Like a Panther

Walk Like a Panther

2018

as Gladys

6.2
Acting

A group of 1980s wrestlers are forced to don the lycra once last time when their beloved local pub is threatened with closure.

Diana and the Paparazzi

Diana and the Paparazzi

2017

as Narrator (voice)

Acting

Marking the 20th anniversary of the death of Princess Diana in a car crash in Paris in August 1997, this documentary reveals how Diana learned to mani...

Shannon Matthews: The Mother's Story

Shannon Matthews: The Mother's Story

2017

as Narrator

Acting

Documentary about Karen Matthews that reveals the true character of the woman who was behind the kidnapping of her own daughter, Shannon.

Shannon Matthews: What Happened Next

Shannon Matthews: What Happened Next

2017

as Self - Narrator

Acting

The disappearance of Shannon Matthews was a story that gripped and then appalled Britain. Nine years on, this documentary examines her kidnapping and ...

British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves

British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves

2016

as Barbara Royle (archive footage) (uncredited)

5.7
Acting

Documentary celebrating the British sitcom and taking a look at the social and political context from which our favourite sitcoms grew. We enjoy a tri...

World Cup 1966: Alfie's Boys

World Cup 1966: Alfie's Boys

2016

as Self

7.0
Acting

A retelling of England's only World Cup victory, fifty years later, placing special emphasis on the work of manager Sir Alf Ramsey.

Golden Years

Golden Years

2016

as Nancy

6.3
Acting

Fate, the pensions crisis and a steadfast refusal to accept the injustice of old age have contrived to force law abiding, retired couple, Arthur and M...

The Nation's Favourite Beatles Number One

The Nation's Favourite Beatles Number One

2015

as Self

9.3
Acting

The Nation’s Favourite Beatles Number One tells the stories behind some of the greatest Beatles songs ever. With interviews from Beatles’ insiders inc...

Caring for the Recently Deceased

2014

as Marjoram Bryon

Acting

A recent widow's life changing experience when her useless husband returns from the grave.

Barbara's Old Ring

Barbara's Old Ring

2012

as Barbara Royle

7.0
Acting

Christmas is coming but Barbara is not happy. Not only has she lost her wedding ring but Jim has won on a scratch card she found down the back of the ...

Lapland

Lapland

2011

as Eileen Lewis

Acting

Recently widowed Eileen Lewis,son Pete and his wife Mandy and daughter Paula with her spouse Ray,plus the grandchildren, leave Birkenhead to spend Chr...

Joe's Crackers

Joe's Crackers

2010

as Barbara

7.2
Acting

It is Christmas Day in the Royle household and Barbara is up to her eyes in it, as Jim is out of action following an unfortunate incident in the preci...

The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa

The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa

2010

as Self

8.4
Acting

Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash discuss the creation of The Royle Family, with a look behind the scenes at the production of the show and interviews wi...

The Turn of the Screw

The Turn of the Screw

2009

as Sarah Grose

4.8
Acting

A young governess, Ann, is sent to a country house to take care of two orphans, Miles and Flora. Soon after her arrival, Miles is expelled from boardi...

The Golden Egg Cup

The Golden Egg Cup

2009

as Barbara Royle

8.0
Acting

Jim and Barbara have received the gift of money from their children - but what to do with it? Barbara wants to finally go abroad, while Jim favours bu...

Tourettes: I Swear I Can't Help It

Tourettes: I Swear I Can't Help It

2009

as Narrator (voice)

7.0
Acting

A documentary featuring several individuals with Tourettes Syndrome and how they are able to cope with the condition.

The New Sofa

The New Sofa

2008

as Barbara Royle

7.7
Acting

Festive special edition of the hit family sitcom. Inspired by Nigella Lawson, Denise decides to cook Christmas dinner for the family. Jim provides the...

Imagine Me & You

Imagine Me & You

2006

as Ella

7.6
Acting

During her wedding ceremony, Rachel notices Luce in the audience and feels instantly drawn to her. The two women become close friends, and when Rachel...

Liverpool FC: One Night in May

Liverpool FC: One Night in May

2005

Acting

Sky One UK documentary showing events leading up to, during and after Liverpool Football Club's historic fifth European Cup victory, where the team fo...

The Virgin Mary

The Virgin Mary

2002

as Self - Presenter

Acting

In BBC ONE's The Virgin Mary, dramatic reconstructions and stunning visual effects are combined with the latest findings from historians and New Testa...

Score

2001

as Maggie

Acting

Comedy about a Sunday League football team who win the Lottery.

New Year's Day

New Year's Day

2000

as Mrs. Fisher

5.0
Acting

Two 17-year-old boys mark the new year by doing twelve dangerous but exciting tasks set for them by their friends.

Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll

1999

Acting

The BBC drama about growing up in the turbulent, tuneful '60s. Manchester, England, 1965. "You'll never meet anybody worth knowing working at the Chip...

Brookside: Friday the 13th

1998

as Sheila Grant

5.5
Acting

There is trouble a-plenty in store for the Corkhill clan in this video-only special. Series creator Phil Redmond has returned to pen a dramatic script...

The Things You Do for Love: Against the Odds

The Things You Do for Love: Against the Odds

1998

as Pat Phoenix

Acting

Sue Johnston stars in this intimate drama exploring the life of Coronation Street star Pat Phoenix. Follow her affair with fellow actor Tony Booth in ...

Brookside: The Lost Weekend

1997

as Sheila Grant

6.8
Acting

A special, video only story set on the Brookside close. On Friday 14th November 1997, a five night a week storyline ended in a cliffhanger and this vi...

Face

Face

1997

as Alice

6.3
Acting

Ray is an aging ex-socialist who has become a bankrobber after seeing the demise of socialism in 1980s Britain. Teaming up with a gang of other has-be...

Preaching to the Perverted

Preaching to the Perverted

1997

as Esmeralda

6.0
Acting

A computer wizard infiltrates a London sex club to get evidence for a shutdown, but falls for the proprietress.

Brassed Off

Brassed Off

1996

as Vera

7.0
Acting

A Yorkshire coal mine is threatened with closure and the only hope is for the men to enter their Grimley Colliery Brass Band into a national competiti...

Measure for Measure

Measure for Measure

1994

as Mistress Overdone

1.0
Acting

Modern dress adaptation of Shakespeare's play.

Bitter Harvest

Bitter Harvest

1992

as Miriam Johnson

Acting

A young black British woman goes to the Dominican Republic as an aid worker. When she goes missing, her parents make an emotional journey to piece tog...

Bilby

N/A

as Nancy

Acting

Fred is an ice cream van man, unfortunately he is manslipping down the leaderboard of ice cream sales. Lucy and Grumble give him the advice to embark ...