Joanna Page

Joanna Louise Page (born 23 March 1977) is a Welsh actress and presenter, known for portraying Stacey Shipman in the television series Gavin & Stacey. She played Dora Spenlow in the 1999 adaptation of David Copperfield, and featured as Just Judy in the 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually. She also co-presented (with Melanie Sykes) the BBC One consumer series Shop Well for Less. In 2023, Page joined Loose Women as a regular panellist.

Early life Page was born in Treboeth, Swansea, Wales. She attended Mynyddbach Comprehensive School, where she was head girl.

Page attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London where she was constantly told she could not act. On her graduation in 1998 a director's assistant told her that he realised that she was not a poor actress, but that the problem was "that you're Welsh". Page later admitted that the comments led her to walk out of the school "and I have never, ever been back since".

Career On graduation from RADA, Page spent ten years in stage-based roles, mainly costume dramas for the Royal National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company. This led to appearances in film productions, including From Hell, Mine All Mine, Love Actually and Miss Julie.

Page came to wider public attention after taking a leading role in the BBC comedy Gavin & Stacey, playing the main part of Stacey Shipman. She appeared in the show's three series between 2007 and 2010, before returning for a Christmas special in 2019. In May 2024 it was announced that a final episode of the show, to be broadcast on Christmas Day 2024, had been written.

Page had a leading role in the 2001 BBC drama production The Cazalets, about a disparate, well-to-do English family during the Second World War. In 2009, Page provided the voice-overs for a series of Kingsmill bread TV and radio advertisements and the Christmas TV advertising campaign for the Carphone Warehouse. In December 2009, she was the cover star of FHM. During Christmas 2009, Page played the role of Cinderella in pantomime in Woking, a role she played a year earlier in Wimbledon. The following year, she played the role of Alice Fitzwarren in Dick Whittington at the Milton Keynes Theatre.

In 2010, she hosted Sky 1 show My Pet Shame. In October of the same year, she became the new face of Superdrug.

From May 2011, Page provided the voice of the lead character in the first season of Nick Jr. Channel UK's pre-school animation Poppy Cat, later replaced by Jessica Ransom from ITV's Doc Martin. In 2012, Page played Leanne Powell in the BBC One drama series The Syndicate, Helen Pearson in the Sky Living comedy Gates, and Mrs Peterson in Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger. In November 2013, Page starred as Queen Elizabeth I in "The Day of the Doctor", the 50th Anniversary episode of Doctor Who.

In 2021, Page began presenting BBC One's consumer series Shop Well for Less. At the end of 2021 she began co-hosting the show The Pet Show on ITV with Dermot O'Leary. In 2022, she appeared on the second series of The Masked Dancer as Pig. In 2023 she filmed the BBC television feature Men Up, about the first clinical trials for the drug Viagra that took place in Swansea in 1994.

In 2023, Page began appearing as a regular panellist on the ITV talk show Loose Women.

In 2026, Page won the twenty-first series of the comedy panel show Taskmaster. She has also joined as a cover presenter for Mel Giedroyc

Personal life Page is married to English actor James Thornton. They both appeared in the 1999 TV serial David Copperfield (Page as Dora Spenlow and Thornton as Ham Peggotty). Page and Thornton have four children.

Filmography Film Year Title Role 1999 Miss Julie Servant David Copperfield Dora Spenlow 2001 Very Annie Mary Bethan Bevan From Hell Ann Crook The Lost World Gladys 2003 Love Actually Just Judy Ready When You Are, Mr. McGill Babs Carter 2012 Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger Mrs. Peterson 2020 Dolittle Bethan Stubbins Dream Horse Angela Davies

Television Year Title Role Notes 2001 The Cazalets Zoe 2004 Mine All Mine Candy Vivaldi Making Waves OM Rosie Bowen 2005 To the Ends of the Earth Marion Chumley TV miniseries Gideon's Daughter Diane 2007–2010, 2019, 2024 Gavin & Stacey Stacey Shipman Lead role, 22 episodes 2008 Love Soup Heather Series 2, episode 10 2009 Jack Osbourne: Celebrity Adrenaline Junkie Herself Series 5, episode 3 Mist: Sheepdog Tales Fly Series 3, 6 episodes, Voice only 2010 Would I Lie to You? Herself Agatha Christie's Marple Hester "The Blue Geranium" My Pet Shame Host 2011 Bedlam Maria White Van Man Kat Series 1, episode 2 Poppy Cat Poppy Cat Series 1, Voice only 2012 The Syndicate Leanne Powell Gates Helen Pearson 2013 Doctor Who Queen Elizabeth I Episode: "The Day of the Doctor" Breathless Lily Enderbury 2013–present Q Pootle 5 Oopsy Voice only 2016 Home from Home Fiona Hackett Pilot episode only 2017 Spring Break with Granddad Voice Over Voice only 2019 Britain's Parking Hell: Ticket Wars Narrator Voice only Midsomer Murders Holly Ackroyd Episode: "The Miniature Murders" Dial M for Middlesbrough Susan 2021–present Shop Well For Less Presenter The Pet Show Co Presenter 2022 The Masked Dancer Pig Dog Squad Tinks Three episodes (voice) 2023 Cooking With The Stars Herself/contestant Men Up Moira Davies Television film 2023–2024 Loose Women Regular panellist 2025 Joanna Page's Wild Life Presenter 15 episodes Wynne & Joanna: All at Sea Herself 6-part series with Wynne Evans 2026 Taskmaster Herself/contestant Series 21, 10 episodes Shift the Thrift Host Upcoming twelve-part series

Theatre Year Title Role 2008 Fat Pig Jeannie 2009 Cinderella Cinderella 2010 Dick Whittington Alice Fritzwarren 2011 Private Lives Sibyl

Recognition Page was nominated for 'Best Female Comedy Newcomer' at the 2007 British Comedy Awards.