Siobhan Finneran is a British actress who has worked in theatre, television and film. Finneran made her film debut starring as Rita in the 1987 film release Rita, Sue and Bob Too. Over the following decade, Finneran established herself as a television actress appearing frequently in both comedic and dramatic guest roles. Into the 21st century, Finneran began appearing in more regular and leading roles in returning and standalone television series. Her more prolific work includes Benidorm (2007–2015), Downton Abbey (2010–2012) and Happy Valley (2014–2023).

Finneran has appeared in several additional independent films, most notably in The Selfish Giant (2013) which earned her a British Independent Film Award nomination. She has also appeared in several theatre productions — including the original production of On the Shore of the Wide World (2005) at the Royal Exchange, Manchester.

Film Year Title Role Notes 1987 Rita, Sue and Bob Too Rita 2007 Boy A Kelly 2013 The Selfish Giant Mrs. Swift Nominated – British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actress 2014 Elizabeth Travers English title - Nobody from Nowhere2016 Somatic Dr. Mary ThomasonShort film Broadcast Signal Intrusion Jane 2017 Apostasy Ivanna 2018 Pond Life Kath Edlington 2020 Pace DS HowardShort film 2023 Rapture (unknown) 2024 The Damned Helga 2025 The Stork Gwenda Short film

Television Year Title Role Notes 1989–1990 Coronation Street Josie Phillips Appeared between 2 August 1989 and 2 March 1990; 23 episodes1991 The Sharp End Tina Mini-series; 1 episode Josie (unknown) Episode: 1.5 Cannon and Ball's Playhouse: Growing Concern Carol Television film 1991–1992 Motormouth Milly Bates Series 4; 32 episodes 1993Heartbeat Janet Episode: "Bringing It All Back Home" 1994 Tax Inspector Episode: "Wild Thing" 1994–1996 The Russ Abbot Show Various characters Series 1 & 2; 15 episodes1995 Peak Practice Caroline Royal Episode: "Light at the End of the Tunnel" Jackanory Storyteller 3 episodes: "Improvised Story Telling: Parts 1–3" Resort to Murder Lena Mini-series; 2 episodes New Voices Liz Episode: "The King of Farawania" 1996 Out of the Blue Fran Paiton Episode: "Stem the Tide" 1997 Where the Heart Is Carol Bevan Episode: "Things Fall Apart"1998 Hetty Wainthropp Investigates Peggy Rainford Episode: "Childsplay" Emmerdale Heather Hutchinson 57 episodes 1999 The Cops Brenda Walsh Episode: 2.62000 Always and Everyone Karen Boyd Episode: 2.4 City Central Carol Bell Episode: "Community Spirit" 2000–2002 Clocking Off Julie O'Neil Series 1–3; 20 episodes 2001 Bob & Rose Marina Marquess Mini-series; 3 episodes2002 The King and Us Jenny Television film Blood Strangers WPC Melanie Whitaker 2-part drama Harold Shipman: Doctor Death Kathleen Adanski Television film Sparkhouse Sue Bolton Mini-series; 2 episodes 2003 Heartbeat Gloria Brown Episode: "Fool for Love"2004 Passer By Helen Keyes Television film Conviction Gail Cleary Episode: 1.42005 Dalziel and Pascoe Susie Ferdinand 2 episodes: "Dust Thou Art: Parts 1 & 2" Casualty Sue Stedding Episode: "The Cost of Honesty"2006 Johnny and the Bomb Mrs. Bushell Mini-series; episodes: "The Butterfly Effect" & "Déjà Voodoo" The Royal Rita Hogg Episode: "Keep On Running" Wire in the Blood DI Jan Shields Episode: "Torment" The Amazing Mrs Pritchard Beverley Clarke 6 episodes 2007 Comedy Showcase Shirley Episode: "Other People" 2007–2015 Benidorm Janice Garvey Series 1–7; 44 episodes 2008 Apparitions Sister Ruth Mini-series; 5 episodes2009 Unforgiven Izzie Ingram Mini-series; 3 episodes The Street Kim Episode: "Scar" Blue Murder Anita Burgess Episode: "Having It All" Coronation Street: Romanian Holiday Verity Straight-to-DVD 2010 Casualty Mel Riley Episode: "A Day in a Life" 2010–2012 Downton Abbey Sarah O'Brien Main role – Series 1–3; 25 episodes Won Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama SeriesRosen, Christopher (27 January 2013). SAG Awards Winners 2013: Screen Actors Guild Honors Best In Film & Television, The Huffington Post. Retrieved 28 January 2013. 2012 Sport Relief 2012 Janice Garvey Episode: Benidorm meets Britain's Got Talent 2013 The Syndicate Mandy Atkinson Series 2; 6 episodes 2014 Timeshift Herself - Narrator Episode: "Bullseyes and Beer: When Darts Hit Britain" 2014–2023 Happy Valley Clare Cartwright Main role – Series 1–3; 18 episodesNominated – BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress2015 Midwinter of the Spirit Angela Purefoy Mini-series; 3 episodes The Secrets of the Tea Chimps Herself - Narrator Television film2017 The Moorside DC Christine Freeman Mini-series; 2 episodes The Loch DCI Lauren Quigley 6 episodes The Chillenden Murders Herself - Narrator 2 episodes 2017–2019 Cold Feet Nikki Kirkbright Supporting role – Series 7 & 8; 9 episodes 2017–2022 The Other One Marilyn Main role – Series 1 & 2; 12 episodes2018 Snatches: Moments from Women's Lives Jen Mini-series; episode: "Multiples" School for Stammerers Herself - Narrator Television film Doctor Who Becka Savage Episode: "The Witchfinders" James Bulger: The New Revelations Herself - Narrator Television film2019 The Widow Sally Newell Episode: "Poteza" A Confession Elaine Pickford Mini-series; 6 episodes 2019–present Forensics: The Real CSI Herself - Narrator Series 1–6; 22 episodes2020 The Stranger DS Johanna Griffin Mini-series; 8 episodes The Yorkshire Jobcentre Herself - Narrator Mini-series; 6 episodes 2021, 2024 Alma's Not Normal Lin Nuthall Main role – Series 1 & 2; 12 episodes 2021–2026 Time Marie-Louise O'Dell Series 1–3; 7 episodes 2022 Panorama Herself - Narrator Episode: "Beyond Reasonable Doubt: Britain's Rape Crisis" 2023 The Reckoning Beryl Hullighan 3 episodes2024 Inside No. 9 Edith Episode: "Boo to a Goose" Protection DI Liz Nyles Mini-series; 6 episodes 2026 Death in Paradise Fleur Edwards Episode: 15.3 2026 Unchosen 6 episodes

Video games Year Title Role (voice) Notes 2017 So Let Us Melt Narrator

Theatre credits Year Title Role Venue Unknown An Inspector Calls Edna Nottingham Playhouse 2002 Port Christine / Anne Royal Exchange, Manchester 2005 On the Shore of the Wide World Alice Holmes Royal Exchange, ManchesterRoyal National Theatre, London 2014–2015 3 Winters Masha Royal National Theatre, London

References

External links

Siobhan Finneran CV at Curtis Brown Talent Agency