Sue Johnston
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
Welcome to Borovia
2026
as Matrashka
Stuffed
2025
as Lily
Fackham Hall
2025
as Great Aunt Bonaparte
Big Winners
2025
as Edith Thistle
The Big Snow of '47
2024
as Self - Narrator (voice)
Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy
2023
as Self
Ricky Tomlinson Remembers... The Royle Family
2023
as Barbara Royle (archive footage)
The Royle Family - Down the Back of the Sofa
2023
as Self / Barbara Royle (archive footage)
Downton Abbey: A New Era
2022
as Gladys Denker
Robbo: The Bryan Robson Story
2021
as Self
Help
2021
as Gloria
- No poster
David Jason: Britain's Favourite TV Star
2020
as Narrator
The Cure
2019
as Bella Bailey
Death on the Tyne
2018
as Colleen
Walk Like a Panther
2018
as Gladys
Diana and the Paparazzi
2017
as Narrator (voice)
Shannon Matthews: The Mother's Story
2017
as Narrator
Shannon Matthews: What Happened Next
2017
as Self - Narrator
British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves
2016
as Barbara Royle (archive footage) (uncredited)
World Cup 1966: Alfie's Boys
2016
as Self
Golden Years
2016
as Nancy
The Nation's Favourite Beatles Number One
2015
as Self
- No poster
Caring for the Recently Deceased
2014
as Marjoram Bryon
The Royle Family: Barbara's Old Ring
2012
as Barbara Royle