Claire Skinner

Last updated

Claire Skinner
Born1965 (age 5859)
Alma mater London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
OccupationActress
Years active1988–present
Spouse
(m. 2001;div. 2016)
Partner Hugh Dennis (2017–present)
Children2

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).

Contents

Early life

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]

Career

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]

Personal life

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]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1989 The Rachel Papers Gloria
1990 Life Is Sweet Natalie
1993 Naked Sandra
1994The Return of the NativeThomasinTV film
1995 I.D. Marie
Clockwork Mice Fairy
1999 You're Dead Jo
The Escort PatriciaOriginal Title: Mauvaise Passe
Sleepy Hollow Beth Killian
2001 Bridget Jones's Diary Magda
2003 The Booze Cruise Leone SewellTV film
Eroica Josephine DeymTV film
2004 Strings JhinnaEnglish version, voice actress
2005 Class of '76 Dr. Kate TremaineTV film
2006 The Family Man Natalie SimpsonTV film
2007 The Trial of Tony Blair NickyTV film
You Can Choose Your FriendsJane ArdenTV film
And When Did You Last See Your Father? Gillian
2008 The Commander: Abduction FionaTV film
2011Eliminate: Archie CooksonCamilla

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1988South of the BorderLauraEpisode: Season 1, Episode 7
1989 Inspector Morse Girl PupilEpisode: Ghost in the Machine
1992 Woof! LizEpisode: Badgers
1993 Chef! LucindaSeason 1 regular
1994 Screen One LindaEpisode: Two Golden Balls
1995Capital LivesAliceEpisode: “In Cahoots”
Coogan's Run FrancesEpisode: The Curator
1997The Wingless BirdAgnes ConwayCatherine Cookson TV mini-series
Brass Eye Board Member/Martha O'Dennell/Helly Melvick/Mrs. WastreyTV Mini-Series, 3 episodes
A Dance to the Music of Time JeanTV mini-series
1997–2000 The Peter Principle Susan HarveySeries regular
1999 Second Sight DI Catherine TullySeries regular
2001 Perfect Strangers RebeccaTV mini-series
Bedtime Sarah NewcombeSeason 1 regular
SwallowGail CollinsTV mini-series
2003 Trevor's World of Sport MerylTV series, 7 episodes
2004The Genius of MozartNannerl MozartTV mini-series documentary
Murphy's Law AliceEpisode: “Go Ask Alice”
2004–2006 Life Begins ClareSeries regular
2005 Agatha Christie's Miss Marple Amy MurgatroydEpisode: “A Murder Is Announced”
2006–2007 Rupert Bear Voice actress
2007 Kingdom Brenda CollinsEpisode: Season 1, Episode 5
2007–2016, 2024 Outnumbered Sue BrockmanSeries regular
2008 Sense and Sensibility Fanny DashwoodTV mini-series, 3 episodes
Lark Rise to Candleford Mrs. MaceyTV series, 2 episodes
Burn Up ClareTV mini-series, 2 episodes
Agatha Christie's Poirot Miss RichEpisode: “Cat Among the Pigeons”
2009 Trinity Dr. Angela DonneTV series, 8 episodes
2010 Moving On Mary AnnEpisode: Skies of Glass
2011 Doctor Who Madge ArwellEpisode: "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe"
2012Tilly and FriendsTumpty2 episodes
Homefront Claire MarshbrookTV mini-series
2013 Playhouse Presents LindaEpisode: Mr Understood
The One About a Social WorkerLizTV mini-series
2014 Silk Sarah StephensEpisode: Season 3, Episode 3
2015 Critical Lorraine RappaportSeries regular
Inside No. 9 AngelaEpisode: Nana's Party
2015–2017 Scream Street Sue Watson, Luella & OthersSeries regular
2016 Power Monkeys SaraTV mini-series, 6 episodes
2017 Midsomer Murders Kitty OswoodEpisode: “Death by Persuasion”
2018Next of KinDCI Vivien BarnesTV mini-series, 6 episodes
Hilda Series regular
Vanity Fair Mrs. Louisa SedleyTV mini-series
2020 The Pale Horse Yvonne TuckertonTV mini-series
2021 Ted Lasso DentistSeries 2 Episode 4
2022 Murder, They Hope KerryTV Series, 3 episodes
McDonald & Dodds Chief Superintendent Mary OrmondSeries 3
2023 The Chelsea Detective Charlotte TwistSeries 2 Episode 3
2024 Coma Beth HendersonTV mini-series, 4 episodes

Theatre

Radio

Awards

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References

  1. "Claire Skinner". Woman's Hour. 1 September 2010. BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  2. "Claire Skinner – National Portrait Gallery". www.npg.org.uk. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Claire Skinner: '50 does not look like a woman in a cardigan'". The Observer. 20 September 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  4. 1 2 Bassett, Kate (25 January 2009). "Mommy dearest: Claire Skinner transforms into a monster of a mother". The Independent (Press release). London. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
  5. Brennan, Patricia (4 December 1994). "A Beauty, a Rogue and a Good Man". The Washington Post (Press release).
  6. "The Family Way: Claire Skinner warms to her role in Poliakoff's new drama" (Press release). Time Out–London: Plugged In section, by Emma Perry. May 2001.
  7. "BBC The Boss Series Press Release" (PDF) (Press release). BBC. 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 May 2006.
  8. "Doctor Who, Christmas special, BBC One, review". The Daily Telegraph. 25 December 2011. Retrieved 25 December 2011.
  9. Galton, Bridget (2 October 2019). "Preview – A Day in the Death of Joe Egg". Ham&High. Archived from the original on 4 October 2019.
  10. "That Christmas episode wasn't part of the plan. How 'Ted Lasso' pulled it off". Los Angeles Times. 13 August 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  11. "Bill Skinner | Actor". IMDb. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  12. "Outnumbered actress Claire Skinner confirms romance with co-star Hugh Dennis". Hello!. 2 May 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
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