Jessica Harris

Jessica Harris (born 1981) is an English actress.

Background Jessica Harris was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England to Miles and Jo Harris. She grew up in the nearby towns of Hebden Bridge and Heptonstall, and attended Calder High School in Mytholmroyd. She graduated from the Calderdale College in Halifax with a National Diploma in Performing Arts. She later attended the Arts Educational School in London on a scholarship.

Career Harris made her television debut in the late 1980s when she appeared in the children's educational series How We Used to Live, produced by Yorkshire Television. She later appeared in other Yorkshire series, such as Heartbeat. Her performance in Othello was praised by Kate Kellaway of The Observer, who described her as "charming".

Harris has appeared in the ITV police drama The Bill three times. She first appeared in 2002 as Karen Best, the sister of cast regular PC Gary Best. The role was a recurring one and she appeared in a number of episodes for a year. She next appeared in 2007 as an inmate who has an affair with a prison officer. Harris's most recent role in the series came in 2009 when she appeared as Kathy Merrill, a sister of murder victim.

Television

Theatre Year Title Role Director Performance history 2005 Bottle Universe Lauren Sue Dunderdale Bush Theatre, 12 October–12 November 2005 2006 Billy Liar Rita Phil Wilmott Made in Liverpool/Liverpool Playhouse, 3–25 February 2006 2007 Cocoa Girl Chris White Theatre 503, 20 April–5 May 2007 Wuthering Heights Catherine Earnshaw/Linton Sue Dunderdale Theatre Royal, York, 2–23 June 2007 The Pornographer Diaries Female roles Kate McCarthy Have a Word Productions/C venues, Edinburgh Festival, 1–27 August 2007. 2008 Harper Regan Justine Ross Marianne Elliott National/Cottesloe Theatre, 16 April–9 August 2008 2009 Othello Desdemona Barrie Rutter West Yorkshire Playhouse, national tour, February–December 2009.