Sue Johnston
Sue Johnston, born in Warrington in 1943, is one of Britain s most beloved television actresses, celebrated for warm, working-class characters. She rose to fame as Sheila Grant in Channel 4 s Brookside from 1982, and later became a national favourite as Barbara Royle in the sitcom The Royle Family. She played detective Grace Foley in Waking the Dead and Nana Campbell in Coronation Street. A theatre veteran too, she was appointed OBE in 2009 for services to drama.
Sue Johnston
20 Movies
32 Series
Sue Johnston, born in Warrington in 1943, is one of Britain s most beloved television actresses, celebrated for warm, working-class characters. She rose to fame as Sheila Grant in Channel 4 s Brookside from 1982, and later became a national favourite as Barbara Royle in the sitcom The Royle Family. She played detective Grace Foley in Waking the Dead and Nana Campbell in Coronation Street. A theatre veteran too, she was appointed OBE in 2009 for services to drama.
Movies
Plays Gladys Denker
Downton Abbey: A New Era
2022
Plays Eileen Lewis
Lapland
2011
Plays Great Aunt Bonaparte
Fackham Hall
2025
Plays Ella
Imagine Me & You
2006
Plays Vera
Brassed Off
1996
Plays Esmeralda
Preaching to the Perverted
1997
Plays Barbara Royle
The Royle Family: The New Sofa
2008
Plays Colleen
Death on the Tyne
2018
Plays Barbara
The Royle Family: Joe's Crackers
2010
Plays Gloria
Help
2021
Plays Alice
Face
1997
Plays Barbara Royle
The Royle Family: Barbara's Old Ring
2012
Plays Gladys
Walk Like a Panther
2018
Plays Nancy
Golden Years
2016
Plays Sheila Grant
Brookside: The Lost Weekend
1997
Plays Mrs. Fisher
New Year's Day
2001
TV Shows
Plays Dr. Grace Foley
Waking the Dead
2001
Plays Barbara Royle
The Royle Family
1998
Plays Sal Vine
Jam and Jerusalem
2006
Plays Affery / Affery Flintwinch
Little Dorrit
2008
Plays Mrs Betts
My Uncle Silas
2001
Plays Sue
The Cockfields
2019
Plays Detective Chief Inspector Kate Grisham
Crime Traveller
1997
Plays Val Rutland
Duck Patrol
1998
Plays Doreen
Rovers
2016
Plays Cecily
Generation Z
2024
Plays Sue
Ann Droid
2026
Plays Irma
Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll
1999
Plays Ivy-Rae Regan
Age Before Beauty
2018
Plays Eileen Lewis
Being Eileen
2013
Plays Marion
Truelove
2024
Plays Miss Denker
Downton Abbey
2010
Plays Miss Hunter
Gates
2012
Plays Commentary
Finest Hour
1999
Plays Barbara Grade
Goodbye Cruel World
1992
Plays Herself
Ricky, Sue & a Trip or Two
2024
Plays June Cobden
Time
2021
Plays Betty (1980s)
A Passionate Woman
2010
Plays Granny Bet
Dexter Procter
2025
Plays Helga Allowby
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates
1996
Plays Edith Thistle
Play for Today
2025
Plays Edith Rosse
In Suspicious Circumstances
1991
Plays Phyllis Bowman
A Touch of Frost
1992
Plays Mrs. Bailey
Inspector Morse
1987
Plays Caroline Ferraday
Cutting It
2002
Plays Mistress Overdone
Performance
1991
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
The Broken Arrow
Full Filmography
The Broken Arrow
Mrs. Barnes
2026
Film
Ann Droid
Sue · 6 episodes
2026–
TV
Welcome to Borovia
Matrashka
2026
Film
Fackham Hall
Great Aunt Bonaparte
2025
Film
Dexter Procter
Granny Bet · 1 episode
2025–
TV
Play for Today
Edith Thistle · 1 episode
2025–
TV
Generation Z
Cecily · 6 episodes
2024–
TV
Ricky, Sue & a Trip or Two
Herself · 3 episodes
2024–
TV
Truelove
Marion · 6 episodes
2024–
TV
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Sue Johnston and where are they from?
Sue Johnston is 82 years old, born on December 7, 1943 in Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK.
What are the most famous roles of Sue Johnston?
Sue Johnston is best known for roles in Imagine Me & You, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Brassed Off.
How many movies has Sue Johnston been in?
Over a 34-year career (since 1992), Sue Johnston has appeared in 20 movies and 30 TV shows.
What was Sue Johnston's first movie?
The career of Sue Johnston began with Bitter Harvest (1992).
What is Sue Johnston's most recent movie or series?
Sue Johnston's most recent release is Ann Droid, which premiered on July 17, 2026.
What TV shows has Sue Johnston appeared in?
On television, Sue Johnston has appeared in Downton Abbey, Time, Inspector Morse, The Responder.
Does Sue Johnston have any upcoming projects?
Yes, Sue Johnston's upcoming work includes: The Broken Arrow (2026).
Sue Johnston
1943-12-07 · Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK
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.