Sue Johnston
Acting
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.
Known for
Acting103
movieWelcome to Borovia
2026
Matrashka
movieStuffed
2025
Lily
movieFackham Hall
2025
Great Aunt Bonaparte
tvDexter Procter
2025
Granny Bet
movieBig Winners
2025
Edith Thistle
tvPlay for Today
2025
Edith Thistle
tvGeneration Z
2024
Cecily
tvTruelove
2024
Marion
movieThe Big Snow of '47
2024
Self - Narrator (voice)
movieRicky Tomlinson Remembers... The Royle Family
2023
Barbara Royle (archive footage)
movieThe Royle Family - Down the Back of the Sofa
2023
Self / Barbara Royle (archive footage)
movieDownton Abbey: A New Era
2022
Gladys Denker
tvThe Responder
2022
Madge
movieHelp
2021
Gloria
tvTime
2021
June Cobden
movieThe Cure
2019
Bella Bailey
movieDeath on the Tyne
2018
Colleen
tvAge Before Beauty
2018
Ivy-Rae Regan
movieDiana and the Paparazzi
2017
Narrator (voice)
movieShannon Matthews: What Happened Next
2017
Self - Narrator
movieBritish Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves
2016
Barbara Royle (archive footage) (uncredited)
tvRovers
2016
Doreen
tvBeing Eileen
2013
Eileen Lewis
movieThe Royle Family: Barbara's Old Ring
2012
Barbara Royle
tvGates
2012
Miss Hunter
movieLapland
2011
Eileen Lewis
tvCelebrity Antiques Road Trip
2011
Self - Participant
tvDownton Abbey
2010
Miss Denker
tvA Passionate Woman
2010
Betty (1980s)
movieThe Turn of the Screw
2009
Sarah Grose
movieThe Golden Egg Cup
2009
Barbara Royle
movieTourettes: I Swear I Can't Help It
2009
Self - Narrator (voice)
movieThe Royle Family: The New Sofa
2008
Barbara Royle
tvLittle Dorrit
2008
Affery / Affery Flintwinch
tvJam and Jerusalem
2006
Sal Vine
movieThe Virgin Mary
2002
Self - Presenter
tvTimeshift
2002
Self - Narrator
tvCutting It
2002
Caroline Ferraday
movieNew Year's Day
2001
Mrs. Fisher
tvMy Uncle Silas
2001
Mrs Betts
tvWaking the Dead
2001
Dr. Grace Foley
Score
2001
Maggie
tvFinest Hour
1999
Commentary
tvThe Royle Family
1998
Barbara Royle
The Jump
1998
Maeve Brunos
tvDuck Patrol
1998
Val Rutland
tvParkinson
1998
Self
movieBrookside: The Lost Weekend
1997
Sheila Grant
movieFace
1997
Alice
moviePreaching to the Perverted
1997
Esmeralda
tvCrime Traveller
1997
Detective Chief Inspector Kate Grisham
tvHetty Wainthropp Investigates
1996
Helga Allowby
tvHollyoaks
1995
Sheila Grant
movieMeasure for Measure
1994
Mistress Overdone
Full Stretch
1993
Grace Robbins
tvA Touch of Frost
1992
Phyllis Bowman
movieBitter Harvest
1992
Miriam Johnson
tvGoodbye Cruel World
1992
Barbara Grade
tvPerformance
1991
Mistress Overdone
tvIn Suspicious Circumstances
1991
Edith Rosse
tvInspector Morse
1987
Mrs. Bailey
tvScreenPlay
1986
Miriam Johnson
tvBrookside
1982
Sheila Grant
tvToday
1952
Self
Bilby
Nancy