Claire Skinner | |
---|---|
Born | 1965 (age 58–59) Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England |
Alma mater | London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1988–present |
Spouse | |
Partner | Hugh Dennis (2017–present) |
Children | 2 |
Claire Skinner (born 1965) [2] [3] is an English actress, known in the United Kingdom for her television career, particularly playing Sue Brockman from the BBC television series Outnumbered . She is also known for her collaboration with director Mike Leigh on two of his films, Life is Sweet (1990) and Naked (1993).
Claire Skinner was born and brought up in Hemel Hempstead, the youngest daughter of a shopkeeper and an Irish-born secretary, and was shy as a child. [4] Her dream was to be an actress and she immersed herself in her ambition. She acted, neglecting school work at Cavendish School, and "barely scraped through [her] A-levels". [4] She went on to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and then joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. [5]
Her first role was in Hanky Park, by Walter Greenwood at the Oldham Repertory Theatre, which she describes as a "really traditional start". She is best known as Clare on the British television comedy Life Begins and as Lucinda, the sous chef in the first series of Chef! alongside Lenny Henry. From 2007 to 2016, she portrayed Sue Brockman in the sitcom Outnumbered . Skinner will reprise her role in a one-off special set to air at Christmas 2024. For many years, she has preferred theatre to screen roles because she has been disappointed with her TV projects ("apart from Mike Leigh's stuff"), "not just when you see the final thing, but also because it hasn't taken off." [6]
Skinner has worked with directors including Mike Leigh – in Life Is Sweet , and Naked – Trevor Nunn, Tim Burton and Sam Mendes, but according to her, Alan Ayckbourn "was a great influence for me as he pushed me so hard, but every director you work with has a big influence in some way, they really push you." [7]
She has made appearances in TV shows such as Lark Rise to Candleford where for two episodes she played Mrs Macey. She appeared in the 2011 Doctor Who Christmas special "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe". [8]
In 2019, she played Sheila in A Day in the Death of Joe Egg , which ran in Trafalgar Studios in the West End from September to November. [9]
Skinner was previously married to director Charles Palmer, by whom she has two sons. [10] [11] [3] Her marriage to Palmer ended in 2016. [12] She is now in a relationship with Outnumbered co-star Hugh Dennis. [13]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1989 | The Rachel Papers | Gloria | |
1990 | Life Is Sweet | Natalie | |
1993 | Naked | Sandra | |
1994 | The Return of the Native | Thomasin | TV film |
1995 | I.D. | Marie | |
Clockwork Mice | Fairy | ||
1999 | You're Dead | Jo | |
The Escort | Patricia | Original Title: Mauvaise Passe | |
Sleepy Hollow | Beth Killian | ||
2001 | Bridget Jones's Diary | Magda | |
2003 | The Booze Cruise | Leone Sewell | TV film |
Eroica | Josephine Deym | TV film | |
2004 | Strings | Jhinna | English version, voice actress |
2005 | Class of '76 | Dr. Kate Tremaine | TV film |
2006 | The Family Man | Natalie Simpson | TV film |
2007 | The Trial of Tony Blair | Nicky | TV film |
You Can Choose Your Friends | Jane Arden | TV film | |
And When Did You Last See Your Father? | Gillian | ||
2008 | The Commander: Abduction | Fiona | TV film |
2011 | Eliminate: Archie Cookson | Camilla |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1988 | South of the Border | Laura | Episode: Season 1, Episode 7 |
1989 | Inspector Morse | Girl Pupil | Episode: Ghost in the Machine |
1992 | Woof! | Liz | Episode: Badgers |
1993 | Chef! | Lucinda | Season 1 regular |
1994 | Screen One | Linda | Episode: Two Golden Balls |
1995 | Capital Lives | Alice | Episode: “In Cahoots” |
Coogan's Run | Frances | Episode: The Curator | |
1997 | The Wingless Bird | Agnes Conway | Catherine Cookson TV mini-series |
Brass Eye | Board Member/Martha O'Dennell/Helly Melvick/Mrs. Wastrey | TV Mini-Series, 3 episodes | |
A Dance to the Music of Time | Jean | TV mini-series | |
1997–2000 | The Peter Principle | Susan Harvey | Series regular |
1999 | Second Sight | DI Catherine Tully | Series regular |
2001 | Perfect Strangers | Rebecca | TV mini-series |
Bedtime | Sarah Newcombe | Season 1 regular | |
Swallow | Gail Collins | TV mini-series | |
2003 | Trevor's World of Sport | Meryl | TV series, 7 episodes |
2004 | The Genius of Mozart | Nannerl Mozart | TV mini-series documentary |
Murphy's Law | Alice | Episode: “Go Ask Alice” | |
2004–2006 | Life Begins | Clare | Series regular |
2005 | Agatha Christie's Miss Marple | Amy Murgatroyd | Episode: “A Murder Is Announced” |
2006–2007 | Rupert Bear | Voice actress | |
2007 | Kingdom | Brenda Collins | Episode: Season 1, Episode 5 |
2007–2016, 2024 | Outnumbered | Sue Brockman | Series regular |
2008 | Sense and Sensibility | Fanny Dashwood | TV mini-series, 3 episodes |
Lark Rise to Candleford | Mrs. Macey | TV series, 2 episodes | |
Burn Up | Clare | TV mini-series, 2 episodes | |
Agatha Christie's Poirot | Miss Rich | Episode: “Cat Among the Pigeons” | |
2009 | Trinity | Dr. Angela Donne | TV series, 8 episodes |
2010 | Moving On | Mary Ann | Episode: Skies of Glass |
2011 | Doctor Who | Madge Arwell | Episode: "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe" |
2012 | Tilly and Friends | Tumpty | 2 episodes |
Homefront | Claire Marshbrook | TV mini-series | |
2013 | Playhouse Presents | Linda | Episode: Mr Understood |
The One About a Social Worker | Liz | TV mini-series | |
2014 | Silk | Sarah Stephens | Episode: Season 3, Episode 3 |
2015 | Critical | Lorraine Rappaport | Series regular |
Inside No. 9 | Angela | Episode: Nana's Party | |
2015–2017 | Scream Street | Sue Watson, Luella & Others | Series regular |
2016 | Power Monkeys | Sara | TV mini-series, 6 episodes |
2017 | Midsomer Murders | Kitty Oswood | Episode: “Death by Persuasion” |
2018 | Next of Kin | DCI Vivien Barnes | TV mini-series, 6 episodes |
Hilda | Series regular | ||
Vanity Fair | Mrs. Louisa Sedley | TV mini-series | |
2020 | The Pale Horse | Yvonne Tuckerton | TV mini-series |
2021 | Ted Lasso | Dentist | Series 2 Episode 4 |
2022 | Murder, They Hope | Kerry | TV Series, 3 episodes |
McDonald & Dodds | Chief Superintendent Mary Ormond | Series 3 | |
2023 | The Chelsea Detective | Charlotte Twist | Series 2 Episode 3 |
2024 | Coma | Beth Henderson | TV mini-series, 4 episodes |
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