Joanna Bending

Joanna Bending is a British actress. She has appeared in numerous theatre productions, and after starring in a one-woman show, she was nominated for the Best Solo Performer accolade at the 2012 Stage Awards. As well as her extensive theatre credits, she has appeared in various British television series including Doctors, The Bill, The Sarah Jane Adventures, Coronation Street and EastEnders.

Career Bending trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, graduating in 1997. After graduation, she began appearing in various stage productions. Her roles have included spending a year at the National Theatre in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, appearing at the Royal Court Theatre in Harold Pinter's Mountain Language and portraying all of the female characters in Intimate Exchanges. Bending also portrayed Emily, an Alzheimer's sufferer, in Hand Over Fist, a one-woman show. For her portrayal of Emily, she was nominated for the Best Solo Performer accolade at the 2012 Stage Awards. Bending starred in a production of Macbeth that toured the United States, since she felt that it was a life experience as well as a good career decision. After returning to London, she starred in a West End theatre production of Kingmaker, a political play that coincided with the 2015 United Kingdom general election.

On television, Bending made her first appearance in 2005 in Angel of Death: The Beverly Allitt Story, a BBC docudrama that detailed serial killer Beverly Allitt's crimes. In 2007, she made her film debut in Tick Tock Lullaby. Later that year, she made her first appearance in the BBC medical soap opera Doctors. She appeared in one episode, before returning a further five times in different roles. as well as appearing in The Sarah Jane Adventures episode "Secrets of the Stars". From 2013 to 2017, Bending appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders in the recurring role of Dr. Alex Burham. In September 2023, it was announced by her agency that she would be returning to Doctors, this time in the role of Dr. Michelle Walton. After the conclusion of the series in 2024, she returned to EastEnders, this time in the role of Jackie Fairhurst.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 2005 Angel of Death: The Beverly Allitt Story Sue Phillips Television film 2005 Dipper Mother Short film 2007 Tick Tock Lullaby Fiona Film 2007 Doctors Karen Jacobs Episode: "Dying for a Drink" 2008 Love Soup Dilly Episode: "Whose God is it Anyway?" 2008 The Bill Mrs. Waverley Episode: "Frontline: End Game" 2008 Doctors Heather Alexander Episode: "The Power of Three" 2008 The Sarah Jane Adventures Linda Episode: "Secrets of the Stars" 2010 Doctors Melissa Forth Episode: "Legacy" 2011 Coronation Street Martina Gaunt Guest role 2013, 2015, 2017 EastEnders Alex Burham Recurring role 2014 Doctors Antonia Davies Episode: "The Curse of the Mummy" 2014 Holby City Martha Keane Guest role 2014 Second Coming Restaurant Mum Film 2016 To the Grave DC Lamb Short film 2019 Doctors Harriet DeSouza Episode: "The Sharper the Tongue" 2019 Casualty Kate McClair Guest role 2021 An Admin Worker at the End of the World Claudia Film 2022 Red Rose Episode: "The Gardener" 2024 Doctors Michelle Walton Recurring role 2024 The Visit Nurse Short film 2024 EastEnders Jackie Fairhurst Guest role

Awards and nominations Year Ceremony Award Nominated work Result 2012 The Stage Awards Best Solo Performer Hand Over Fist