Sue Johnston
NEW View Movie
as Edith Thistle Big Winners Released
November 20, 2025 TV MovieDrama
Susan Johnston, OBE (née Wright; born 7 December 1943) is an English actress known for playing Sheila Grant in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside (1982–1990), Barbara Royle in the BBC comedy The Royle Family (1998–2000, 2006, 2008–2010, 2012), Grace Foley in the BBC drama Waking the Dead (2000–2011), Gloria Price in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street (2012–2014) and Miss Denker in the ITV drama Downton Abbey (2014–2015). She won the 2000 British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actress and was nominated for the 2000 BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy Performance for The Royle Family.
Filmography
Imagine Me & You
as Ella
Downton Abbey: A New Era
as Gladys Denker
Brassed Off
as Vera
Fackham Hall
as Great Aunt Bonaparte
Help
as Gloria
Face
as Alice
Golden Years
as Nancy
The Turn of the Screw
as Sarah Grose
Preaching to the Perverted
as Esmeralda
Death on the Tyne
as Colleen
Walk Like a Panther
as Gladys
Robbo: The Bryan Robson Story
as Self
New Year's Day
as Mrs. Fisher
Brookside: The Lost Weekend
as Sheila Grant
Stuffed
as Lily
Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy
as Self
Measure for Measure
as Mistress Overdone
The Royle Family: Barbara's Old Ring
as Barbara Royle
The Royle Family: The New Sofa
as Barbara Royle