Jan Pearson

Jan Pearson (born 12 April 1959) is an English actress. Pearson grew up in Wollaston, West Midlands, and began her career in various stage productions. She yearned to work in television and was soon cast as Kath Fox in the BBC medical drama Holby City in 1999, a role she stayed in until 2004. She then ventured back into theatre, before joining the BBC soap opera Doctors as Karen Hollins. For her role in Doctors, Pearson won the award for Best On-Screen Partnership twice alongside Chris Walker, at the 2010 and 2023 British Soap Awards. Pearson left Doctors in 2023.

Early life Pearson was born on 12 April 1959 in Wollaston, West Midlands. She learned ballet from a young age until she was 16 since her mother wanted her to be a dancer. However, Pearson found that since most of the staff were fresh to their positions, the teaching was poor quality who did not offer real acting training. She was insistent on wanting to work in the acting industry and kept applying for positions. Due to having no experience or contacts, she found it difficult, but eventually landed a gig playing a princess for £25. She then worked as a dancer for a year. At the 2010 British Soap Awards, Pearson and Chris Walker, who played her on-screen husband Rob Hollins, won the award for Best On-Screen Partnership. In 2012, Pearson was nominated for Best Comedy Performance. She was later nominated for the British Soap Award for Best Actress and Best Leading Performer. She explained that she wanted a break from her career after 14 consecutive years on the series. Pearson admitted that she asked producers to kill Karen off, to which they were surprisingly obliging. She was pleased with her exit scenes and stated: "they gave me a lovely death, actually – I was very pleased with it. Chris was extraordinary. It was great. I was very, very pleased." Following Doctors, she appeared in an episode of the BBC daytime drama series Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators in 2025.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1994 The Chief Landlady Episode: "4.2" 1994 Wycliffe Mary Clark Episode: "The Pea Green Boat" 1996 The Bill Ann Davis Episode: "Repossession" 1997 Underworld Susan & William's Mother 2 episodes 1998 The Bill Doctor Episode: "Daydream Believer" 1999–2001 The Cops Maggie Hayes Recurring role 1999–2004 Holby City Kath Fox Series regular 2004 Where the Heart Is Gina Thorpe Episode: "Skin Deep" 2004 Doctors Michelle Howarth Episode: "Life Skills" 2005 Silent Witness Heather Deans Episode: "Mind and Body" 2007 The Bill Kerry Malcolm Episode: "Cop Killer: Part 1" 2008 Doctors Chrissie Clarkson Episode: "Served Cold" 2009 Terror! Robespierre and the French Revolution Narrator (voice) Television film 2009–2023 Doctors Karen Hollins Regular role 2025 Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators Audrey Martext Episode: "A Dark House"

Stage Year Title Role Director Venue 1996 Grimm Tales Various John Tiffany Leicester Haymarket Theatre 1997 The Censor Miss Fontaine Anthony Neilson Royal Court Theatre 1998 The Norman Conquests Ruth Terry Hands Theatr Clwyd 1998 Sabina Emma Jung Andy Wilson Bush Theatre 2005 Beauty and the Beast Various Laurence Boswell Royal Shakespeare Company 2012 British Soap Awards Best Comedy Performance 2013 British Soap Awards Best Actress 2014 RTS Midlands Awards Best Female Acting Performance 2014 British Soap Awards Best Actress 2016 British Soap Awards Best Actress 2018 British Soap Awards Best Actress 2021 Inside Soap Awards Best Daytime Star 2022 British Soap Awards Best Leading Performer 2022 British Soap Awards Best On-Screen Partnership(with Walker) 2022 Inside Soap Awards Best Daytime Star 2023 British Soap Awards Best On-Screen Partnership(with Walker) 2023 Inside Soap Awards Best Daytime Star