Daniela Denby-Ashe

Daniela Jolanta Denby-Ashe (born 9 August 1978) is an English actress. She is best known for playing Sarah Hills on the soap opera EastEnders, Margaret Hale on the period drama North and South, and Janey Harper on the BBC sitcom My Family. She also played Jem Allen (Series 4) and Lorraine Donnegan (Series 7–8) on the drama series Waterloo Road.

Early life Denby-Ashe was born in North West London on 9 August 1978, the daughter of Polish immigrants; her father's original name was Miroslaw Pszkit. Before her parents married, they decided to adopt a more British-sounding surname, so they each chose a surname they liked from the telephone directory and hyphenated them. Denby-Ashe is fluent in English, Polish, and French, learning the latter from her grandmother, who was raised in France until World War II broke out. She began studying ballet at the age of two and tap at a later stage; from the ages of 10 to 16, she attended several drama schools, including the Corona Academy.

Career Denby-Ashe first gained film experience on the children's video Nursery Rhymes 2 from Pickwick Video. She appeared in many television commercials as a child actor which then led on to children's drama such as Kevin & Co, as well as the Channel 4 sitcom Desmond's. Denby-Ashe also appeared briefly alongside Jennifer Saunders and Julia Sawalha in season 3 episode 6 of Absolutely Fabulous.

In 2004 she took the lead role of Margaret Hale in the BBC TV drama adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's North & South, and in 2006 played Mary in the science fiction TV series Torchwood episode Greeks Bearing Gifts. Her other television roles include Office Gossip, Rescue Me, Is Harry on the Boat? and The Afternoon Play. From 2003 she appeared in the Radio 4 comedy Ring Around the Bath.

In 2007, she starred as Robert Maxwell's secretary in Maxwell, a BBC drama about his life.

In December 2008 she appeared in BBC Four's supernatural drama series Crooked House, and in October 2010 she starred in an episode of the ITV detective drama Midsomer Murders. In April 2012, she returned to the drama as a new regular character, Lorraine Donegan. The character then appeared regularly throughout the eighth series.

She appeared in two episodes of the BBC sitcom Mum in 2019.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1992 Desmond's Jackie Episode: "Growing Pains" 1992 Kevin and Co Sophie Coe 6 episodes 1993-1995 The Bill Various 3 episodes 1995 Crimewatch UK Episode: "May 1995" 1995 Absolutely Fabulous Victoria Episode: "The End" 1995–1999 EastEnders Sarah Hills 276 episodes 1999 Molly Mary Television film 2000 Fish Jess Taylor 6 episodes 2000–2002, 2004–2011 My Family Janey Harper 94 episodes 2001 Is Harry on the Boat? Lorraine Television film 2001 Office Gossip Cheryl 6 episodes 2002 Rescue Me Julie Carter Episode: "Gone Away" 2003 The Afternoon Play Kate Episode: "Girls' Weekend" 2004 North & South Margaret Hale All episodes 2006 The Family Man Kelly Film 2006 Torchwood Mary Episode: "Greeks Bearing Gifts" 2007 Maxwell Andrea Martin Television film 2008 Crooked House Hannah 2 episodes 2009 Waterloo Road Jem Allen Series 4, Episode 16 2010 Midsomer Murders Camilla Farquaharson Episode: "The Noble Art" 2012–2013 Waterloo Road Lorraine Donnegan 30 episodes 2016 Silent Witness Julia Lubas Episode: "In Plain Sight" (2 parts) 2017 Heidi: Queen of the Mountain Gertrude Film, Director: Bhavna Talwar 2019 Mum Claire Series 3; 2 episodes 2019–2020 101 Dalmatian Street Snowball (voice) 2020 Into the Night Sylvie Dubois English voice 2022 Colin and Justin’s Hotel Hell Narrator 4 episodes