Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
Sue JOHNSTON (1943-)
THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Sue Johnston, actress, was surprised by Michael Aspel during rehearsals for the play Hindle Wakes at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester.
Sue, who was born in Warrington, first began acting with a drama group at Pilkington Glass, where she was working, before going on to train at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Her first professional job was in 1965 at the Theatre Royal, St Helen's, and she worked predominantly in theatre during the 1970s, including with Theatre in Education at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry.
In 1982, Sue appeared in three episodes of the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, which led to her big break, when later that year, she was cast as Sheila Grant in Brookside, a new soap opera first broadcast on Channel 4's launch night. After leaving Brookside in 1990, Sue would receive BAFTA nominations for her roles in the BBC drama Goodbye Cruel World and the BBC sitcom The Royle Family.
programme details...
- Edition No: 1013
- Subject No: 988
- Broadcast date: Mon 7 Dec 1998
- Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
- Recorded: Thu 26 Nov 1998
- Repeated: Mon 10 Jul 2000 9.30pm
- Venue: unknown
- Series: 39
- Edition: 14
- Code name: Jumper
on the guest list...
- Margaret - mother
- Denise Black
- Kazia Pelka
- Bryan Robson
- Sammy Lee
- Lord Hoyle of Warrington
- Joel - son
- Elizabeth Dawn
- Bill Tarmey
- Helen Worth
- Dean Sullivan
- Paul Usher
- Simon O'Brien
- Michael Starke
- Claire Sweeney
- Bill Dean
- Millie - aunt
- Pauline - cousin
- Marjorie - cousin
- Lavinia - godmother
- Sam Kelly
- Phil Thompson
- Robbie Fowler
- Gerry Marsden
- Judi Spiers
- Phil Redmond
- John McArdle
- Alun Armstrong
- Ricky Tomlinson
- John Barnes Filmed tributes:
- Caroline Aherne
- Craig Cash
- Henry Normal
- Amanda Burton
related appearances...
- Pam St Clement - Sep 1995
- Tom Baker - Mar 2000
- Geoffrey Hughes - Feb 2001
- John Barnes - Apr 2001
- John McArdle - Jan 2003
- John Middleton - Jul 2003
production team...
- Researchers: Steven Lappin, Kate Greer
- Writer: Ian Brown
- Directors: John Gorman, Peter Wisdom
- Associate Producer: Helen Gordon-Smith
- Executive Producer: John Longley
- Series Producer: Jack Crawshaw
- Producer: Sue Green
- names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life
spotlight on the stars
Screenshots of Sue Johnston This Is Your Life
Series 39 subjects
Charles Stewart | Carol Smillie | Roy Walker | Sharron Davies | Christopher Chittell | Barbara Dickson | Frank ThorntonPhillip Schofield | Alastair Stewart | Bob Wilson | Frankie Dettori | Elizabeth Spriggs | Rick Wakeman | Sue Johnston
Lord Deedes | Sylvia Young | Anne Kirkbride | Christopher Biggins | Damon Hill | George Layton | Floella Benjamin
Bill Pertwee | Mark Cook | Gary Mabbutt | Suzi Quatro | Ian Bannen