Claire Skinner

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Born1965 (age 60–61)
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England
AlmamaterLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
OccupationActress
Yearsactive1988–present
Claire Skinner
Born1965 (age 60–61)
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England
Alma materLondon Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
OccupationActress
Years active1988–present
Spouses
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 2001; div. 2016)​
  • ​
    (m. 2022)​
Children2
Claire Skinner's voice
from the BBC programme Woman's Hour, 1 September 2010[1]

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]

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 reprised her role in a one-off special that aired 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, with whom she had two sons.[10][11][3] Her marriage to Palmer ended in 2016.[12] Since 2017, she has been in a relationship with her Outnumbered co-star Hugh Dennis.[13] In 2025, it was revealed that the couple had married in 2022.[14]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1989 The Rachel Papers Gloria [15]
1990 Life Is Sweet Natalie [16]
1993 Naked Sandra [17]
1994 The Return of the Native Thomasin Yeobright Television film [18]
1995 I.D. Marie [19]
Clockwork Mice Fairy [20]
1999 You're Dead Jo [21]
Sleepy Hollow Beth Killian [22]
The Escort Patricia [23]
2001 Bridget Jones's Diary Magda [24]
2003 The Booze Cruise Leone Sewell Television film [25]
Eroica Countess Josephine von Deym Television film [26]
2004 Strings Jhinna English version [27]
2006 The Enlightenment Roxanne Short film
2007 The Trial of Tony Blair Nicky Television film [28]
You Can Choose Your Friends Jane Arden Television film [29]
And When Did You Last See Your Father? Gillian [30]
2012 Act of Memory Mother Short film [31]
Shoot Me! Claire Short film [32]
Eliminate: Archie Cookson Camilla [33]
2015 Elsewhere Jane Short film [34]
2019 Isabel Mary Short film [35]
2021 Boxing Day Caroline [36]
2023 The Critic Mary Brooke [37]
2025 Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy Magda [38]
The Trial Dione Sinclair Television film [39]

Television

Year Show Role Notes Ref.
1988 South of the Border Laura Episode: "Series 1, Episode 7" [40]
1989 Inspector Morse Girl Pupil Episode: "Ghost in the Machine" [41]
1992 Woof! Liz Episode: "Badgers" [42]
1993 Chef! Lucinda Series regular; 7 episodes [43]
1994 Screen One Linda Episode: "Two Golden Balls" [44]
1995 Capital Lives Alice Episode: "In Cahoots"
Coogan's Run Frances Episode: "The Curator" [45]
1997 The Wingless Bird Agnes Conway Miniseries; 3 episodes [46]
Brass Eye Various Recurring role; 3 episodes [47]
A Dance to the Music of Time Jean Miniseries; 3 episodes [48]
1997–2000 The Peter Principle Susan Harvey Series regular; 12 episodes [49]
2000–2001 Second Sight DI Catherine Tully Series regular [50]
2001 Perfect Strangers Rebecca Miniseries; 3 episodes [51]
Bedtime Sarah Newcombe Series regular; 6 episodes [52]
Swallow Gail Collins Miniseries; 2 episodes [53]
2003 Trevor's World of Sport Meryl Series regular; 7 episodes [54]
2004 The Genius of Mozart Nannerl Mozart Miniseries; 3 episodes [55]
Murphy's Law Alice Episode: "Go Ask Alice" [56]
2004–2006 Life Begins Clare Series regular; 15 episodes [57]
2005 Agatha Christie's Marple Amy Murgatroyd Episode: "A Murder Is Announced" [58]
Class of '76 Dr. Kate Tremaine Miniseries; 2 episodes [59]
2006 The Family Man Natalie Simpson Miniseries; 3 episodes [60]
2006–2007 Rupert Bear, Follow the Magic... N/a Recurring role [61]
2007 Kingdom Brenda Collins Episode: "Series 1, Episode 5" [62]
2007–2024 Outnumbered Sue Brockman Series regular; 38 episodes [63]
2008 Sense and Sensibility Fanny Dashwood Miniseries; 3 episodes [64]
Lark Rise to Candleford Mrs. Macey Recurring role; 2 episodes [65]
Burn Up Clare McConnell Miniseries; 2 episodes [66]
Agatha Christie's Poirot Miss Rich Episode: "Cat Among the Pigeons" [67]
The Commander Fiona Guest role; 3 episodes [68]
2009 Trinity Dr Angela Donne Series regular; 8 episodes [69]
2010 Moving On Mary Ann Episode: "Skies of Glass" [70]
2011 Doctor Who Madge Arwell Episode: "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe" [71]
2012 Tilly and Friends Tumpty Recurring role [72]
Homefront Claire Marshbrook Miniseries; 6 episodes [73]
2013 Playhouse Presents Linda Episode: "Mr Understood" [74]
2014 Silk Sarah Stephens Episode: "Heavy Metal" [75]
2015 Critical Lorraine Rappaport Series regular; 6 episodes [76]
Inside No. 9 Angela Episode: "Nana's Party" [77]
2015–2017 Scream Street Various Recurring role [78]
2016 Power Monkeys Sara Miniseries; 6 episodes [79]
2017 Midsomer Murders Kitty Oswood Episode: "Death by Persuasion" [80]
2018 Next of Kin DCI Vivien Barnes Miniseries; 6 episodes [81]
Vanity Fair Louisa Sedley Miniseries; 4 episodes [82]
2018–2023 Hilda Various Series regular; 34 episodes [83]
2020 The Pale Horse Yvonne Tuckerton Miniseries; 2 episodes [84]
2021 Ted Lasso Dr Rogers Episode: "Carol of the Bells" [85]
2022 Kate & Koji Amanda Episode: "Koji’s Date" [86]
Murder, They Hope Kerry Miniseries; 3 episodes [87]
2022–2024 McDonald & Dodds Mary Ormond Series regular; 6 episodes [88]
2023 The Chelsea Detective Charlotte Twist Episode: "The Reliable Witness" [89]
2024 Coma Beth Henderson Miniseries; 4 episodes [90]
Inside No. 9 Party Guest Episode: "Plodding On" [91]
2025 Riot Women Tricia Recurring role; 2 episodes [92]
The Lady June Andrews Miniseries [93]

Radio

Theatre credits

Year Title Role Venue Notes Ref.
1987 The Playboy of the Western World Sara Tansey Oldham Coliseum Theatre, Oldham [94]
1989 The Revengers' Comedies Norma / Tracey Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough [95]
1990 Othello Desdemona Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough [96]
Taking Steps Kitty Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough [97]
1991 Invisible Friends Zara Cottesloe Theatre, London [98]
1992 Measure for Measure Isabella Young Vic, London [99]
1993 The Importance of Being Earnest Cecily Cardew Aldwych Theatre, London [100]
Moonlight Bridget Almeida Theatre, London [101]
1995 Look Back in Anger Alison Porter Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester [102]
The Glass Menagerie Laura Wingfield Donmar Warehouse, London & Comedy Theatre, London [103][104]
1998 Othello Desdemona Lyttelton Theatre, London [105]
2001 The Winter's Tale Hermione Olivier Theatre, London [106]
2009 Mrs. Affleck Rita Affleck Dorfman Theatre, London [107][108]
2010 Deathtrap Myra Bruhl Noël Coward Theatre, London [109]
2014 Blurred Lines Office Worker The Shed, London [110][111]
2015 The Father Anne Kiln Theatre, London & Wyndham's Theatre, London [112][113]
2016 Rabbit Hole Becca Hampstead Theatre, London [114]
2017 Prism Nicola / Katharine Hepburn Hampstead Theatre, London [115]
2018 Nightfall Jenny Bridge Theatre, London [116]
2019 A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Sheila Trafalgar Studios, London [117]
2022 The Narcissist Senator Minerva Theatre, Chichester [118]

Awards

References

External links

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