Sue Johnston

Susan Pammenter OBE (born 7 December 1943), better known by her stage name Sue Johnston, is an English actress. She is known for portraying Sheila Grant in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside (1982–1990), Barbara Royle in the BBC comedy The Royle Family (1998–2012), 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. Early life Johnston was born on 7 December 1943 in Warrington, Cheshire, and grew up in Prescot, Merseyside when both were in Lancashire. She is the daughter of Fred and Margaret Jane Wright (née Cowan). After working as a Higher Grade tax inspector, when her boyfriend was one of the pop group The Swinging Blue Jeans, she worked for Brian Epstein. From the age of 21, Johnston attended the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Acting career