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Suranne Jones

Acting 47 years old Chadderton, Greater Manchester, England, UK ★ 1.2
Born: August 27, 1978

Biography

Sarah Ann Akers, known professionally as Suranne Jones, is an English actress and producer. Known for her numerous collaborations with screenwriter Sally Wainwright, she rose to prominence playing Karen McDonald on ITV's Coronation Street between 2000 and 2004. Upon leaving, she furthered her television career in drama series such as Vincent (2005–2006), Strictly Confidential (2006), Harley Street (2008), and Unforgiven (2009).

Jones starred as Detective Rachel Bailey in the police procedural Scott & Bailey (2011–2016), and garnered further attention with headline roles in Single Father, Five Days (both 2010), A Touch of Cloth (2012–2014), and The Crimson Field (2014). For her portrayal of Gemma Foster—a GP who suffers personal betrayal—in Doctor Foster (2015–2017), Jones received several awards, including the 2016 British Academy Television Award for Best Actress. Subsequent credits include Save Me (2018), Vigil (2021–present), and Gentleman Jack (2019–2022). For the latter, on which she served as executive producer, Jones was again nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress.

On stage, Jones has appeared in productions of A Few Good Men (2005), Blithe Spirit (2009), Top Girls (2011), Beautiful Thing (2013), Orlando (2014), and Frozen (2018).

Jones was born Sarah Ann Jones in Chadderton, Greater Manchester, on 27 August 1978. She has an older brother named Gary. Jones was raised Catholic; her priest suggested to her father she be christened Sarah Ann(e) instead of Suranne, her great-grandmother's name, as Suranne was not "a proper name".

She grew up in a house on Foxdenton Lane, surrounded by two farms and their fields and commented that one of her earliest memories is of "cows looking in the window as we ate our tea". As a child she was talkative, and later recounted that her priest would tell her, "I'm praying you can concentrate just a bit more".

Jones was educated at Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School in Middleton. Talking of her childhood, she commented, "I think I always wanted to be different and felt very stifled at school". She also said, "I was bullied at school and I let that get hold of me and withdrew into myself — I regret letting that happen." She became a member of the Oldham Theatre Workshop and completed a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts, which she felt "[wasn't] quite the same as drama school"

Filmography

Acting Credits (51)

Film Club
Film Club Suz 2025
Frauds
Frauds Roberta 'Bert' Mancini 2025
Hostage
Hostage Abigail Dalton 2025
Suranne Jones: Investigating Witch Trials
Suranne Jones: Investigating Witch Trials Self - Presenter and Narrator 2024
Bluey Book Reads
Bluey Book Reads Reader 2024
Maryland
Maryland Becca 2023
Christmas Carole
Christmas Carole Carole Mackay 2022
Vigil
Vigil DCI Amy Silva 2021
Children In Need 2019: Got It Covered
Children In Need 2019: Got It Covered Self 2019
RuPaul's Drag Race UK
RuPaul's Drag Race UK Self - Guest Judge 2019
I Am...
I Am... Victoria 2019
Gentleman Jack
Gentleman Jack Anne Lister 2019
Grace and Goliath
Grace and Goliath Claudia 2018
Gone
Gone Karen 2018
Save Me
Save Me Claire McGory 2018
Life in the Air
Life in the Air Herself - Narrator 2016
Life in the Air
Life in the Air Self - Narrator (voice) 2016
A Christmas Star
A Christmas Star Miss Darcy 2015
Doctor Foster
Doctor Foster Dr Gemma Foster 2015
The Crimson Field
The Crimson Field Sister Joan Livesey 2014
Doctor Who Live: The Afterparty
Doctor Who Live: The Afterparty Self 2013
Lawless
Lawless Lila Pettitt 2013
Beautiful Thing
Beautiful Thing Sandra 2013
Goodbye Granadaland
Goodbye Granadaland Self - Narrator (voice) 2013
The Secret of Crickley Hall
The Secret of Crickley Hall Eve Caleigh 2012
A Touch of Cloth
A Touch of Cloth DI Anne Oldman / DC Anne Oldman 2012
Playhouse Presents
Playhouse Presents 2012
Scott & Bailey
Scott & Bailey DC/Sgt. Rachel Bailey 2011
Single Father
Single Father Sarah 2010
Drama Trails
Drama Trails 2010
Unforgiven
Unforgiven Ruth Slater 2009
Love and a Long Shot
Love and a Long Shot Sarah 2009
Harley Street
Harley Street 2008
The Sarah Jane Adventures
The Sarah Jane Adventures Mona Lisa 2007
The Alan Titchmarsh Show
The Alan Titchmarsh Show Self 2007
The Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton Show Self 2007
Five Days
Five Days PC Laurie Franklin 2007
Dead Clever: The Life and Crimes of Julie Bottomley
Dead Clever: The Life and Crimes of Julie Bottomley Julie Bottomley 2007
Strictly Confidential
Strictly Confidential 2006
Vincent
Vincent Beth 2005
Doctor Who
Doctor Who Idris 2005
The Friday Night Project
The Friday Night Project Self 2005
The Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show 2004
Punch
Punch Judy 2004
Bo' Selecta!
Bo' Selecta! 2002
RI:SE
RI:SE 2002
Big Brother's Little Brother
Big Brother's Little Brother Self 2001
GMTV
GMTV Self 1993
This Morning
This Morning Self 1988
An Audience with...
An Audience with... Self 1978
Coronation Street
Coronation Street Karen McDonald / Karen Phillips 1960

Writing Credits (1)

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