Sue Johnston

Acting

Personal Info

gender

Female

birthday

December 7, 1943 (82 yrs)

place of birth

Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK

also known as

Susan Wright · Susan Johnston, OBE

total credits

41 movies

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.

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Known For

Filmography

41 credits · sorted by popularity · swipe or use arrows

Fackham Hall
6.7

Fackham Hall

2025as Great Aunt Bonaparte
Imagine Me & You
7.6

Imagine Me & You

2006as Ella
Downton Abbey: A New Era
7.2

Downton Abbey: A New Era

2022as Gladys Denker
Brassed Off
7.0

Brassed Off

1996as Vera
Stuffed
6.0

Stuffed

2025as Lily
Help
7.0

Help

2021as Gloria
Face
6.2

Face

1997as Alice
Golden Years
6.3

Golden Years

2016as Nancy
British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves
5.7

British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves

2016as Barbara Royle (archive footage) (uncredited)
Big Winners

Big Winners

2025as Edith Thistle
Preaching to the Perverted
6.1

Preaching to the Perverted

1997as Esmeralda
New Year's Day
5.3

New Year's Day

2001as Mrs. Fisher
The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa
8.4

The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa

2010as Self
The Turn of the Screw
4.7

The Turn of the Screw

2009as Sarah Grose
The Cure
7.5

The Cure

2019as Bella Bailey
Walk Like a Panther
6.2

Walk Like a Panther

2018as Gladys
Death on the Tyne
5.8

Death on the Tyne

2018as Colleen
Lapland

Lapland

2011as Eileen Lewis
Robbo: The Bryan Robson Story
6.4

Robbo: The Bryan Robson Story

2021as Self
Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy
8.0

Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy

2023as Self
The Big Snow of '47

The Big Snow of '47

2024as Self - Narrator (voice)
The Nation's Favourite Beatles Number One
9.3

The Nation's Favourite Beatles Number One

2015as Self
Measure for Measure
3.3

Measure for Measure

1994as Mistress Overdone
The Royle Family: Joe's Crackers
7.2

The Royle Family: Joe's Crackers

2010as Barbara
Brookside: The Lost Weekend
7.6

Brookside: The Lost Weekend

1997as Sheila Grant
The Golden Egg Cup
8.0

The Golden Egg Cup

2009as Barbara Royle
Bitter Harvest

Bitter Harvest

1992as Miriam Johnson
The Royle Family: The New Sofa
7.7

The Royle Family: The New Sofa

2008as Barbara Royle
There's Only One Paul McCartney
8.0

There's Only One Paul McCartney

2002as Self
Liverpool FC: One Night in May

Liverpool FC: One Night in May

2005as Self
Welcome to Borovia

Welcome to Borovia

2026as Matrashka
The Things You Do for Love: Against the Odds
9.0

The Things You Do for Love: Against the Odds

1998as Pat Phoenix
Diana and the Paparazzi

Diana and the Paparazzi

2017as Narrator (voice)
Ricky Tomlinson Remembers... The Royle Family

Ricky Tomlinson Remembers... The Royle Family

2023as Barbara Royle (archive footage)
The Royle Family: Barbara's Old Ring
7.0

The Royle Family: Barbara's Old Ring

2012as Barbara Royle
The Virgin Mary

The Virgin Mary

2002as Self - Presenter
World Cup 1966: Alfie's Boys
7.0

World Cup 1966: Alfie's Boys

2016as Self
The Royle Family - Down the Back of the Sofa

The Royle Family - Down the Back of the Sofa

2023as Self / Barbara Royle (archive footage)
Shannon Matthews: What Happened Next

Shannon Matthews: What Happened Next

2017as Self - Narrator
Tourettes: I Swear I Can't Help It
7.0

Tourettes: I Swear I Can't Help It

2009as Self - Narrator (voice)
Shannon Matthews: The Mother's Story

Shannon Matthews: The Mother's Story

2017as Narrator