Jo Joyner

In 1999, she graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff with a BA degree in Acting.^[3]

After a stint of guest roles in shows such as Always and Everyone, The Cops, Heartbeat and Clocking Off, Joyner came to prominence after playing Beth Nicholls in Channel 4 comedy drama No Angels between 2004 and 2006. She later appeared in four episodes of North & South as Fanny Thornton and in two episodes of Doctor Who as Lynda Moss. In June 2006, Joyner began appearing as Tanya Branning in BBC One soap opera EastEnders. Joyner originally turned down the role on the show as she had doubts over whether she could work in a soap opera.^[4] Having worked quietly and successfully in the industry for eight years, Joyner was unsure if she would be comfortable with the level of fame being on EastEnders would bring her.^[5] She won the Most Popular Actress award at the Digital Spy Soap Awards in 2008 for the part of Tanya^[6] and also went on to win Best Dramatic Performance at the 2008 British Soap Awards, as well as making the final four in the Best Actress category. Joyner was nominated for the Best Actress award at the All About Soap Awards in 2012^[7]; she later won the award.^[8] In 2012, Joyner and co-star Jake Wood won the Best On-Screen Partnership category at the British Soap Awards.^[9] On Digital Spy's 2012 end of year reader poll, Joyner was nominated for Best Female Soap Actor and came fourth with 13.4% of the vote.^[10]

Whilst still appearing in EastEnders in 2011, Joyner appeared in BBC One comedy drama Candy Cabs as Jackie O’Sullivan.^[11] On 1 May 2012, it was reported that Joyner would take a prolonged break from EastEnders at the end of her current contract to spend time with her family.^[12] However, on 1 April 2013, it was announced that Joyner's departure would be indefinite as she wished to try new career paths.^[13] Joyner filmed her final scenes on 15 May 2013.^[14] She departed the show on 28 June 2013. Joyner reprised the role of Tanya in EastEnders for the 30th anniversary specials in February 2015 and again on Christmas Day 2017 as part of the storyline surrounding the exits of her onscreen daughters.^[15]

In June 2017, Joyner began portraying Mandy Carter in Channel 4’s drama Ackley Bridge.^[16][17] She departed from the series in the fourth series in 2021.^[18] In February 2018, she started to play Luella Shakespeare, alongside Mark Benton, in the BBC One comedy drama Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators.^[19]

In December 2021, Joyner appeared in the Netflix drama series Stay Close as Erin Cartwright.^[20] Then in 2022, she starred in the Channel 5 drama series Riptide.^[21] In May 2025, she played the on-duty doctor, Elizabeth Burgess, who must make the difficult decision whether to call social services or not, on a mother and her friend, Jess (Diane Kruger), who brings her child into A&E with an unexplainable injury in the Paramount+ show Little Disasters.^[22]

Joyner announced in July 2009 that she was pregnant as a result of IVF treatment.^[23] She gave birth to twins.^[24]