Joanna Scanlan

Joanna Marion Scanlan (born 27 October 1961) is a British actress and writer. On television, she is known for her roles in The Thick of It (2005–2012), Big School (2013–2014), Puppy Love, No Offence (2015–2018), Requiem (2018), The Larkins (2021), and Riot Women (2025). She was nominated for three BAFTA TV Awards for Getting On (2009–2012), including two for Best Writing.

Scanlan's film appearances include Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003), Notes on a Scandal (2006), The Invisible Woman (2013), and Bridget Jones's Baby (2016). She won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in the 2020 film After Love, and was the first person since 2003 to win the award without being nominated for the corresponding Oscar.

Early life Scanlan was born on 27 October 1961 in West Kirby, then in Cheshire, the daughter of hoteliers Michael and Patricia Scanlan. Although Joanna was born in England, her family comes from North Wales. At the age of three, she moved with her parents to North Wales, where she grew up.

Scanlan studied history at Queens' College, Cambridge. During her studies, Scanlan joined the Cambridge Footlights, where she became friends with Tilda Swinton.

Career After graduation, Scanlan joined the academic staff of Leicester Polytechnic where she lectured in drama for five years, before undertaking a similar role at the Arts Council of Great Britain for three years. After the Arts Council of Great Britain was split in 1994, at age 34 Scanlan decided to try becoming a professional actor, quickly gaining the role as a nurse in ITV1's Peak Practice. This formed somewhat of a theme in her early career, playing a district nurse called Gillian in the last ever episode of One Foot in the Grave, then playing a midwife in The Other Boleyn Girl with Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson, before playing a nurse again alongside Ade Edmondson's doctor in ill-fated Doctors and Nurses, and latterly Dr Diana Dibbs in Doc Martin with Martin Clunes.

Scanlan is known for her portrayal of Terri Coverley, the notoriously useless senior press officer for the Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship in the British comedy television series The Thick of It from 2005 to 2012.

Among her successes is Scanlan's dark satirical NHS drama Getting On, which she starred and co-wrote with Jo Brand and Vicki Pepperdine. The series earned her a BAFTA nomination for Best Female Performance in a Comedy and a BAFTA Television Craft nomination for screenwriting in both 2011 and 2013. They were also nominated for Best Comedy Screenwriting at the Royal Television Awards in 2010 and Best Comedy at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards in 2011. The comedy series was adapted for an American audience with HBO, with Scanlan on board as an executive producer to closely work on script development. Scanlan was a guest star in the American version, reprising her role as Denise Flixter. The Emmy-nominated show ran for three seasons between 2013 and 2015.

Scanlan and Vicki Pepperdine teamed up again to write and star in their BBC Four comedy series Puppy Love, which follows two women at their dog training classes on the Wirral. Under their production company George and George Co., they are currently adapting Puppy Love with HBO for America and a new sitcom This Land is Ours is in development for US Network IFC.

Scanlan plays lead character DI Inspector 'Viv Deering' in Paul Abbott's BAFTA nominated and RTS award-winning primetime drama, No Offence.

Scanlan appeared as Cathy in the 2016 romantic comedy Bridget Jones's Baby.

Other film credits include Charles Dickens' wife in The Invisible Woman and roles in Get Santa, Testament of Youth, In the Loop, The Bad Education Movie, The Other Boleyn Girl, Stardust, Notes on a Scandal, Girl With A Pearl Earring, Pin Cushion, After Love and Kinky Boots.

Additional television credits include Death Comes To Pemberley, Fungus the Bogeyman, Mapp & Lucia, Heading Out, Stella, Doc Martin, One Foot in the Grave, Spaced and Slow Horses.

On stage, Scanlan has worked with Thea Sharrock in her production of Cloud 9 at the Almeida Theatre and Top Girls, with Rufus Norris in Vernon God Little at the Young Vic, and featured in Polly Teale's Madame Bovery.

Scanlan appeared in the first two episodes of McDonald & Dodds in 2020. In 2021, Scanlon played Ma opposite Bradley Walsh’s Pop in The Larkins.

In March 2022, she received the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the film After Love (2020). Scanlan gave thanks in Welsh, "Diolch yn fawr iawn as we say in my country! BAFTA thank you so much...some stories have surprising endings don't they," and also thanked the film’s writer and director and the crew.

In Sally Wainwright's TV series Riot Women, airing on BBC One in 2025, Scanlan plays Beth, a teacher forming a punk-rock band with a group of other women.

Scanlan starred in Mercy, written by Peter Bradshaw, which was released as an Audible Original in January 2026.

Personal life Scanlan and her husband Neil live in South Croydon, London.

Scanlan learned Welsh during S4C's Iaith ar Daith series.

On 7 June 2023, Scanlan became Patron of the David Lean Cinema, a community cinema based in the Clocktower of Croydon Town Hall.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2000 The Announcement Debbie 2003 Girl with a Pearl Earring Tanneke 2005 Butterflies Jane Short film A Little Trip to Heaven Josie Kinky Boots Trish 2006 Notes on a Scandal Sue Hodge 2007 The Moon and the Stars Daisy Burke Buying Porn Mrs. Jack Short film Grow Your Own Barbara My Mother Nurse Short film Stardust Mormo 2008 The Other Boleyn Girl Mary's Midwife 2009 In the Loop Roz The Calling Sister Kevin House of Boys Nurse Suzanne 2011 Hot Hot Hot Mary-Ann 2012 Dylan's Room Penny Short film 2013 Poe Friend (voice) The Invisible Woman Catherine Dickens 2014 Get Santa Ruth Testament of Youth Aunt Belle 2015 The Bad Education Movie Susan Poulter 2016 The Complete Walk: Macbeth Porter Short film Bridget Jones's Baby Cathy, Make-up lady 2017 How to Talk to Girls at Parties Marion, Enn's Mum Brexit Shorts: Burn Carol Short film Tulip Fever Mrs. Overvalt Pin Cushion Lyn 2018 Wild Honey Pie! Janet, Ollie's mother 2019 How to Build a Girl Mrs. Belling 2020 After Love Mary 2021 Don vs Lightning Maggie Short film Ropey Heather Short film 2022 This is Christmas Linda 2023 Wicked Little Letters Ann 2024 The Rising of the Sap Elizabeth Short film 2025 Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy Cathy TBA Anxious People Post-production

Television Year Title Role Notes 1997 Jane Eyre Bessie Television film Peak Practice Midwife Episode: "Eye of the Storm" 1998 Vanity Fair Lady Crawley Mini-series, 2 episodes: #1.1 and #1.2 The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Audrey Barker 2 episodes: "Road Rage: Parts One & Two" A Rather English Marriage Sister Television film Picking Up the Pieces Gina Episode: #1.6 Casualty Wendy Prescott Episode: "Public Service" 1999 Murder Most Horrid Iris Wood-Newton Episode: "Frozen" Coming Soon Claudia Television film The Morwenna Banks Show Episode: "The Morwenna Banks Show Sci-Fi Special" The Bill Madelaine Tudor Episode: "Trade Off" How Do You Want Me? Parent Governor / Customer No.2 2 episodes: "I'm Not an Alcoholic" and "The Bad Builders" 2000 Cry Wolf Julie Episode: #1.5 Human Remains Nana Mini-series, Episode: "An English Squeak" One Foot in the Grave Gillian Episode: "Things Aren't Simple Any More" EastEnders Cellmate 2 episodes: #1.2040 and #1.2041 2001 My Family Dental Assistant Episode: "'Tis Pity She's a Whore" Spaced Tina Episode: "Mettle" Fun at the Funeral Parlour Janet / Joan Jones Episode: "The Heron Incident" Comedy Lab Joy / Pity Episode: "Daydream Believers: Brand New Beamer" 2003 Murder in Mind Diana Spearman Episode: "Echoes" Terri McIntyre Moira Bell Episode: "Model" The Deal Sue Nye Television film 2004 Doctors and Nurses Stumpy Yates 4 episodes Little Britain Anya Episode: #2.2 Doc Martin Toni Episode: "Gentlemen Prefer" 2005–2012 The Thick of It Terri Coverley Main role, 20 episodes 2007 Maxwell Jennings Television film Jekyll Nurse Mini-series, Episode: "Hyde" 2009 Runaway Helpline Operator Mini-series, Episode: #1.3 Home Time Mrs. Pitman Episode: #1.1 2009–2012 Getting On Sister Den Flixster 15 episodes. Also written by Scanlan 2010 Trinny & Susannah: From Boom to Bust Potential Agent Television film 2011 Casualty Mary Griffin Episode: "When the Bough Breaks..." Comedy Showcase Mrs. Snedden Episode: "Chickens" Doc Martin Dr. Diana Dibbs Episode: "Preserve the Romance" 2012 Stella Nancy 5 episodes 2013 Heading Out Toria 6 episodes Psychobitches Barbara Woodhouse Mini-series, Episode: "Playhouse Presents: Psychobitches Part Three" Coming Up Denise's Mum Episode: "Burger Van Champion" Death Comes to Pemberley Mrs. Reynolds Mini-series, 3 episodes 2013–2014 Big School Mrs. Janine Klebb 10 episodes 2014 Puppy Love Nana V 6 episodes. Also written by Scanlan Midsomer Murders Clara Trout Episode: "The Killings of Copenhagen" Rev. Jill Mallory 2 episodes: #3.1 and #3.5 Mapp & Lucia Ursula 'Ursy' Pillson Episode: #1.2 2015 Getting On Sister Den Flixster Guest appearance; Episode: "Am I Still Me?" Fungus the Bogeyman Mildrew Mini-series, 3 episodes 2015–2018 No Offence DI Vivienne Deering Main role, 21 episodes 2016 Hooten & the Lady Penny McQuinn Episode: "Bhutan" 2017 Requiem Janice Gray Main role. Mini-series, 6 episodes Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams Su Episode: "Crazy Diamond" 2018 Sally4Ever Stella Episode: #1.4 The Woman in White Mrs. Vesey Mini-series, 3 episodes I'll Get This Herself Dinner guest; 1 episode 2018–2019 Hold the Sunset Sandra 9 episodes 2019 The Accident Angela Griffiths 4 episodes 2020 Dracula Mother Superior Mini-series, Episode: "The Rules of the Beast" McDonald & Dodds Kelly Mulcreevy Episode: "A Wilderness of Mirrors" 2021–2022 The Larkins Ma Larkin 13 episodes 2022 Y Golau (The Light in the Hall) Sharon 6 episodes Gentleman Jack Isabella 'Tib' Norcliffe 2 episodes Avenue 5 Johanna Episode: "Is It a Good Dot?" 2023 Tabby McTat Pat (voice) Television film Black Ops Chief Inspector Garner Episode: #1.1 Boat Story Pat Tooh / Madame Béthune 6 episodes 2024 Slow Horses Moira Tregorian Series 4 A Very Royal Scandal Amanda Thirsk Mini-series. 3 episodes 2025 Riot Women Beth TV series 2026 Missed Call Sarah Gleason TV series 2027 The Cadburys Dorothy Adlington Upcoming TV series

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref 2010 Writers' Guild of Great Britain Best Television Comedy Getting On Royal Television Society Awards Writer – Comedy British Academy Television Awards Best Female Comedy Performance 2011 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Writer's Award Royal Television Society Awards Writer – Comedy British Academy Television Craft Awards Best Writer 2013 Writers' Guild of Great Britain Best Television Comedy Royal Television Society Awards Writer – Comedy British Academy Television Craft Awards Best Writer: Comedy 2018 Evening Standard British Film Awards Best Actress Pin Cushion 2020 Thessaloniki International Film Festival Best Actress After Love 2021 Dublin International Film Festival Best Actress British Independent Film Awards Best Performance by an Actress 2022 London Film Critics Circle Actress of the Year British/Irish Actress of the Year British Academy Film Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role