From tax officer to television icon, the versatile career of actress Sue Johnston
In short: Before becoming a household name in British comedy and drama, Sue Johnston worked in the glass industry and as a tax officer. Her path to stardom began in her twenties at drama school, eventually leading to iconic roles in Brookside and The Royle Family, spanning over six decades of television history.
Born in 1943 in Warrington, Sue Johnston did not take a traditional route into acting. After working as a Higher Grade tax officer and spending time in the orbit of the music industry, she enrolled at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art at age 21. Her professional stage career commenced in 1965, though she spent much of the 1970s working in theatre before making her television debut in 1982. That same year, she secured the role of Sheila Grant in the soap opera Brookside, appearing in the show's very first episode on Channel 4.
Johnston is perhaps best known for her long-running portrayal of Barbara Royle in the BBC comedy The Royle Family, a role she held from 1998 to 2012. Her career is marked by a blend of gritty drama and popular comedy, including roles in Waking the Dead, Coronation Street, and Downton Abbey. Her work has earned significant recognition, including a British Comedy Award in 2000 and an appointment as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2009. In 2024, she was named a Freeman of the City of Liverpool.
Beyond her screen work, Johnston has been a vocal advocate for gay rights and a supporter of the Labour Party. Her personal life has occasionally informed her professional output; for instance, she drew upon her own experience of being sexually attacked in 1970 to help shape a difficult storyline for her character in Brookside. She has also authored two memoirs, Hold on to the Messy Times and Things I Couldn't Tell My Mother, which offer a glimpse into the life of a performer who has remained a fixture of British culture for over forty years.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Sue Johnston
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