Melissa Johns

Last updated

Melissa Johns is a British actress and disability activist. She is known for playing Sadie in The Interceptor , Imogen Pascoe on Coronation Street , Hannah Taylor in Life , and Miss Scott in Grantchester . [1] Johns is an ambassador for disability in the arts and advocates for better representation of disability on- and off-screen and stage. [2] [3]

Contents

Early life

Johns was born in Herefordshire and grew up in the town of Ledbury, where she attended John Masefield High School. [4] She was born without her right forearm and hand. Johns is from a working-class background and references this in her speeches. [5]

Johns trained at East 15 Acting School (University of Essex) and since graduating has worked in TV, theatre, and radio. During her time at East 15, she was one of the first disabled actors to win the Laurence Olivier Bursary Award.[ citation needed ]

Accolades

Between 2017 and 2020, Johns won several awards, including JCI's Ten Outstanding Young Persons in the U.K, Shaw Trust's Power List, U.K's 100 most influential disabled people, JCI's Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World, and she was shortlisted for Positive Role Model of the Year Award in the National Diversity Awards.

In 2019, she was selected as one of 21 actors for the BAFTA Elevate programme. The same year, she was picked as Alumna of the Year 2019 for the University of Essex & East 15 Acting School for her disability advocacy in the arts.

Phone hack

In 2018, Johns' smartphone was hacked and intimate photos were released. [6] [7] Johns used the situation to speak out against body shaming and combat taboos around disability, sex, and body dysmorphia.

The experience inspired the BBC Radio 4 drama In My Own Skin, written by Debbie Oates with Johns, and starring Johns. [8]

Selected filmography

List of film appearances, with year, title, and role shown
YearTitleRoleNotes
2015 The Interceptor Sadie8 episodes
2017–19 Coronation Street Imogen Pascoe 12 episodes
2020 Life Hannah Taylor6 episodes
2021–23 Grantchester Miss Scott12 episodes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ledbury</span> Town in Herefordshire, England

Ledbury is a market town and civil parish in the county of Herefordshire, England, lying east of Hereford, and west of the Malvern Hills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanni Grey-Thompson</span> Welsh wheelchair racer and parliamentarian (born 1969)

Carys Davina Grey-Thompson, Baroness Grey-Thompson,, known as Tanni Grey-Thompson, is a Welsh life peeress, television presenter and former wheelchair racer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephanie Cole</span> English stage, television, radio and film actress (born 1941)

Patricia Stephanie Cole is an English stage, television, radio and film actress, known for high-profile roles in shows such as Tenko (1981–1985), Open All Hours (1982–1985), A Bit of a Do (1989), Waiting for God (1990–1994), Keeping Mum (1997–1998), Doc Martin (2004–2009), Cabin Pressure (2008–2014), Still Open All Hours (2013–2019), Man Down (2014–2017) and as Sylvia Goodwin in ITV soap opera Coronation Street (2011–2013).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sue Nicholls</span> English actress

Susan Frances Harmar Nicholls is an English actress, known for her roles on British television in Crossroads (1964–1968), The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (1976–1979) and, Rentaghost (1981–1984) and especially for her long-running part as Audrey Roberts in the soap opera Coronation Street. She also appeared on Broadway in the 1974 revival of the comedy London Assurance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikki Sanderson</span> British actress (born 1984)

Nikki Sanderson is an English actress and former glamour model who is known for playing Candice Stowe in the television soap opera Coronation Street, Dawn Bellamy in Heartbeat and Maxine Minniver in Hollyoaks. During her time at Coronation Street and since, she has also been a television presenter on programmes such as CD:UK, Junior Eurovision: The British Final and Ministry of Mayhem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olivia Colman</span> English actress (born 1974)

Sarah Caroline Sinclair, known professionally as Olivia Colman, is an English actress. She has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, four BAFTA Awards, two Emmy Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alison Steadman</span> British actress (born 1946)

Alison Steadman is an English actress. She received the 1977 Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress for Abigail's Party, the 1991 National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress for the Mike Leigh film Life Is Sweet and the 1993 Olivier Award for Best Actress for her role as Mari in the original production of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. In a 2007 Channel 4 poll, the '50 Greatest Actors' voted for by other actors, she was ranked 42.

Sally Jane Lindsay is an English actress and television presenter. She rose to fame playing Shelley Unwin in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street (2001–2006). Her other roles include Lisa Johnson in the Sky One comedy-drama Mount Pleasant (2011–2017), Alison Bailey in the ITV police procedural Scott & Bailey (2011–2016), and Kath Agnew in the BBC sitcom Still Open All Hours (2013–2019). Since 2021, she has starred as Jean White in Channel 5's The Madame Blanc Mysteries (2021–present), which she co-created and produces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emily Head</span> British actress

Emily Head is an English actress. Her breakout role was as Carli D'Amato in E4's sitcom The Inbetweeners and she later played Rebecca White in ITV soap opera Emmerdale and Colette Andrews in BBC drama, The Syndicate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pendleton College</span> Sixth form college in Salford, Greater Manchester, England

Pendleton College was a sixth form college in Pendleton, Salford, Greater Manchester, England. It was established in 1973 and merged with Salford College and Eccles College to form Salford City College in 2009.

Treloar School and College is a non-maintained residential and day special school and college for disabled children and young people, aged from 2 to 25 in Holybourne near Alton, Hampshire, UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lizzie Lakely</span> Fictional character from Emmerdale

Lizzie Lakely is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale, played by Kitty McGeever. Lizzie is Emmerdale's first blind character, and was played by a blind actress. She made her first on-screen appearance on 28 April 2009. Lizzie's last appearance was on 28 March 2013. McGeever had health problems, but, in June 2013, producer Kate Oates stated there had been plans for her to return. McGeever died in August 2015, however, without having returned to the series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Masefield High School</span> School in Ledbury, England

John Masefield High School is a secondary school with an academy status, located in Ledbury, Herefordshire, England. It is named after the poet John Masefield.

Cherylee Martina Houston is a British actress. She grew up in Morecambe, Lancashire, in the United Kingdom. She is currently playing Izzy Armstrong in Coronation Street, a role she has portrayed since April 2010. She also plays Maz in the ongoing BBC Radio 4 series Tinsel Girl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Fallon</span> British actress

Lucy Fallon is an English actress. She gained widespread recognition as Bethany Platt in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. The role has earned her several accolades, including two British Soap Awards, an Inside Soap Award, and a National Television Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhavna Limbachia</span> English actress (born 1984)

Bhavna Jayanty Limbachia is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Alia Khan in the BBC comedy Citizen Khan (2012–2016) and Rana Habeeb in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street (2016–2019).

Naz and Matt Foundation is a charity based in the United Kingdom that tackles homophobia triggered by religious and cultural beliefs.

Ruth Madeley is a British actress known for her roles in Years and Years, The Rook and Doctor Who. She was born with spina bifida and has worked with the charity Whizz-Kidz for much of her life. She was nominated for a television BAFTA in 2016 for her work in Don't Take My Baby.

Alexandra Mardell is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Emma Brooker in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. In 2019, for her portrayal of the role, she won the British Soap Award for Best Newcomer, and was nominated for Newcomer at the National Television Awards.

References

  1. "Life star Melissa Johns admits baby 'actress' stole the show in BBC drama". 6 October 2020.
  2. "Introducing Reach Ambassadors Melissa Johns and Briony Williams!". 29 April 2021.
  3. "Who is Melissa Johns? Meet Celebrity MasterChef 2021 contestant and actress". Radio Times. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  4. Sutcliffe, Deborah (26 September 2018). "International award for former pupil Melissa Johns". John Masefield High School. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  5. "From Ledbury to Coronation Street's cobbles for Melissa". 20 February 2021.
  6. "Ex-Corrie actress turns sex photo hack into 'positive thing' – BBC Newsbeat". BBC News. 22 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  7. "The former Coronation Street actor who is sick and tired of feeling unsafe". 27 March 2021.
  8. "In My Own Skin". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 31 October 2018.