Lisa McGrillis (born 3 September 1982) is a British actress. Her credits include Hebburn (2012–2013), The Pass (2016), Inspector George Gently (2014–2017), Mum (2016–2019), No Offence (2015–2018), Death in Paradise (2019), Deadwater Fell (2020), Last Night in Soho (2021), Avoidance (2022), Maternal (2023), Sex Education (2023), and Rivals (2024).
Early life and education McGrillis was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, but at age five, moved to and grew up in Scotby, near Carlisle in Cumbria, with her mother, a special education teacher, and her father, an accountant. She attended Trinity School, Carlisle, before going on to study performing arts at Northumbria University.
Career McGrillis had a role in The Pitmen Painters, by Lee Hall, in 2007. It transferred to London's National Theatre and then to Broadway.
McGrillis was in Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare's Globe in 2011 as Margaret the maid. When Eve Best, the star of the show, fell ill, director Jeremy Herrin asked McGrillis to step up to play Beatrice. She then appeared in The Pass with Russell Tovey at the Royal Court Theatre in 2014.
After appearing in Hebburn, McGrillis was the regular character DS Rachel Coles in Inspector George Gently with Martin Shaw.
McGrillis starred opposite Academy Award nominee Lesley Manville in the BBC sitcom Mum (2018) as Kelly, the girlfriend of Manville's son, Jason. In February 2019, she played Hannah Wilde in episode eight of the eighth season of Death in Paradise. She later played a grass-roots Manchester politician in the third series of Channel 4 Paul Abbott police drama No Offence and, in 2020, appeared as 'Mad Kay' in BBC sitcom King Gary, written by Tom Davis and as Sandra in the Channel 4 drama Deadwater Fell.
On 17 January 2022, it was announced that McGrillis would star as Courtney in BBC comedy Avoidance (2022), alongside show creator Romesh Ranganathan and Jessica Knappett. In 2023, she played the main role of Helen Cavendish in the ITV drama Maternal (2023).
In 2024, she appeared alongside David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Danny Dyer and Katherine Parkinson in the Disney+ adaptation of Jilly Cooper's Rivals (2024).
McGrillis was cast as Adrian Mole's mother, alongside Oliver Savell as Mole, in a television adaptation of the Sue Townsend 1982 novel The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾, with David Nicholls and Caitlin Moran among the writers and filming taking place in 2026.
Personal life Her husband, Stuart Martin, is also an actor; they met at a Christmas party in the National Theatre bar. They have two children. McGrillis is an ambassador for children's charity PIPA.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes2007The Other PossibilityAngalina2016The PassLyndsey2018Wild GeesePollyShort filmOnly YouCarly2021Last Night in SohoFemale Detective
Television
Year Title Role Notes 2006 Spit Game Receptionist Television film 2012–2013 Hebburn Vicki Pearson Main role 2014–2017 Inspector George Gently Sergeant Rachel Coles Main role; Series 6—8 2015 Fungus the Bogeyman Saliva 2 episodes; TV mini-series 2015–2018 No Offence Caroline McCoy Recurring role; Series 3 2016–2019 Mum Kelly Main role 2019 Death in Paradise Hannah Wilde Season 8, Episode 8 2020 Deadwater Fell Sandra McKay 4 episodes Bumps Joanne Television film 2020–2021 King Gary Kay / Mad Kay Recurring role 2022 Somewhere Boy Sue Main role 2022–present Avoidance Courtney Main role 2023Maternal Helen Cavendish Main role; ITV Best Interests Brenda 4 episodes Sex Education Joanna Franklin Recurring role 2024–present Rivals Valerie Jones Main role 2024 Krapopolis Kayleigh (voice) Recurring role 2025 Film Club Steph Recurring role Pauline Mole Recurring role
References
External links