The Brookside legend is back on our screens in a new role
Growing up in Prescot, Sue knew she wanted to be an actress from an early age(Image: BBC/James Stack Photography)
From Brookside to the Royle Family to Downton Abbey, Sue Johnston will go down in history as one of Liverpool’s most recognisable TV talents. The 82-year-old reflected on her extraordinary career during a recent visit to her home city. The Sheila Grant star spoke about her first steps into acting, and how a Beatles legend helped shape her early life.
Sue will soon be back on our screens for the new BBC comedy “Ann Droid”. The actress stars alongside comedian Diane Morgan in the new series which is set three years in the future.
Sue portrays a grieving widow, named Sue, who enlists the help of a robot carer named Linda (Diane Morgan) after a nasty fall. While the show is a comedy, it also explores deeper themes of loneliness and grief, alongside the hilarious script.
Diane Morgan stars opposite Sue as her robot carer, Linda(Image: BBC/Boffola Pictures/GaryMoyes)
Sue and Diane recently arrived in Liverpool with a whole host of stars to celebrate everything we know and love about BBC comedy. The ECHO was in attendance for an exclusive chat with the stars on stage at the Royal Court Theatre.
Speaking about being part of “Ann Droid”, Sue said: “I wanted to be part of it because Diane wrote it and I’m such a fan and a friend of hers, so when she sent me the script, it was just joyful and I thought ‘yes, thank you very much, I’ll have that!’”
“There’s also a lot of love in it, there’s such a warmth and friendship about it all, and that comes from Diane’s writing, which says a lot about how she is as a human being. It’s a very special script.”
Sue has enjoyed a spectacular career, best known for the iconic Liverpool soap Brookside as well as her role as Barbara Royle opposite her on-screen husband Ricky Tomlinson in The Royle Family.
It’s clear she isn’t slowing down at the age of 86, and the actress reflected on her life in showbiz during the intimate conversation.
Diane and Sue at the BBC Comedy Festival in Liverpool(Image: BBC/James Stack Photography)
Sue was happy to be back in her home city, drawing upon her early days living in Merseyside. Sue spoke about the moment she realised she wanted to be actress.
She told the audience at the Royal Court: “It started off here in Prescot where I’m from. I was at school in a play, I was on stage, I can see it now I was down stage left.
“I was only 13 and funnily enough I was playing a witch and I just knew that I wanted to be an actor. I knew from then and I’ll never forget that moment.
Sue Johnston with Caroline Aherne in the Royle Family(Image: BBC)
“But I didn’t know really what being an actor was in the 1950s, I was a tax inspector in Liverpool 5. I was the worst tax inspector – if it was your tax, I’m sorry – you probably never paid it.
She added: “The office was on the corner of Mathew Street so I spent all my days in the Cavern.”
After giving up her job working in taxes, Sue knew deep down she wanted to pursue something more creative. The actress gave a major “name drop” as she shared how she got a job working at the iconic record shop, North End Music Stores – known as NEMS. The legendary music store was founded by Brian Epstein’s family.
Sue said: “I left the tax office, and if I can name drop, Paul McCartney got me a job at NEMS. I might have wanted to be an actor but in the 50s in Liverpool, there weren’t many actors.
“We didn’t have all these wonderful groups that we have now so it was a long haul. It took me until I was 21 when I eventually went to drama school.”
Sue’s first TV role was as a character called Mrs Chadwick on ITV soap Coronation Street in 1982 and she has been a mainstay on our TV screens ever since.
New series Ann Droid will air weekly on BBC One from Friday, July 17 at 9.30pm. Episodes will also be available on BBC iPlayer.