Picture an actress who always pops up in TV dramas as a tough Northern character.

[StrychnineInTheSandwiches]

Is it this woman?

She popped up in a TV drama I was watching with my mum the other day and we commented that she’s always cast as the tough Northern woman. Always puts in a great performance, a face as familiar to me as Julia Roberts, but I had no idea what her name was.

Turns out she’s called Lorraine Ashbourne and googling shows me she’s married to Gollum from LOTR.

Never seen her in my life

Yes. She is in loads of things.Also Siohban Finnigan ( think that’s her name) is in lots of things. She was in Rita Sue and Bob too. She was in Benidorm and often plays a police officer.

She was in something recently as an ex policewoman turned drug dealer. Can't remember what but it was good. About miners strike

Yeah I thought Siobhan is it Finneran?
Good actress
But yes I have seen the actress in the Op,in loads of things but didn't know her name I think I there are loads of actors/ actresses like that .

She was in “Playing the Field” years and years ago. Great series.

Sherwood.

Yes, that was great.

Mine is Siobhan Finneran too (I couldn't remember her name until someone said it on the thread).

She looks very similar to the woman in the OP actually - are you sure it's not SF you are thinking of?!

Didn’t Lorraine Ashbourne play Siobhan Finneran's mum in Alma’s Not Normal?

I automatically thought of Suranne Jones.

I've never seen the woman you've posted.

Yes, Lorraine Ashbourne, an amazing with huge range. She can play anything excellently, including comedy. She was brilliant in Alma’s Not Normal recently (which Siobhan Finneran was also in)

She's in loads of things.

Lorraine’s been in lots of things, loved Playing the field, and she was in Alma’s Not Normal recently, also with Siobhan Finneran!

X posted. Yes she did, even though there’s only five years between them.

@MandyMotherOfBrian cross post, great series Alma’s not normal, they are making another one I think.

Yes she's another one and Sarah Lancashire,both excellent actress,s

Yes that's exactly who I had iny head! Also the sister in Happy Valley plays these roles. Both great actors.

She was also Bad Lady's Maid in Downton I think.

Before I even opened the thread, she is exactly the actress I was picturing! 😁

I've seen her in loads of thing as a resilient Northerner.

Er, nope. I'm definitely thinking of the woman I mentioned in my OP

God I loved Playing the Field. She was knobbing her husbands brother in that IIRC

The brother (Nicholas Gleaves) was in Happy Valley last week interviewing Tommy Lee Royce

Loved Alma's Not Normal.

I was thinking of Sheridan Smith

She’s not the one who was in the most recent episode of Happy Valley playing a police officer who was badgering Sarah Lancashire about having a leaving do?

I love character actors like this who pop up like familiar friends in stuff but you have no idea what they’re called!

Over Christmas i rewatched Clocking Off, all four series. Great British entertainment drama from 2000. I was absolutely amazed by how many of our British jobbing actors were in it and have gone on to be fantastic mainstays in the industry over the last 20 years. Sarah Lancashire, Siobhan Finneran, Lorraine Ashbourne, Lesley Sharpe, Pam Ferris, Philip Glennister, Jason Merrels, Jack Deam, Sophie Okonedo, David Morrisey, to name just a few, the list is endless! Great casting directors they obviously had and knew talent when they saw it.

Lorraine Ashbourne is my favourite actor. She was fantastic in Inside Number 9.