Joanne Heywood is an English television actress, probably best known for her role as Jessica Lovelock in Grace & Favour, a spin-off series of Are You Being Served?.
Career
Born in York, Heywood was educated in York, Guildford and in Sydney, Australia. She studied musical theatre at the Guildford School of Acting and, after graduating, made her professional stage debut in 1985 production of the pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk at York's Theatre Royal. For the next decade, she regularly appeared in pantomime at the same venue, often as principal boy. During this period, she also performed in stage musicals, including regional productions of Annie, Gypsy and Camelot, as well as the world premieres of Scrooge: The Musical and the stage adaptation of High Society.
Heywood's television debut was in the role of Dilys on the short-lived BBC series First of the Summer Wine. In 1991, she made appearances on the television shows The New Statesman (natural selection, se3) and The Brittas Empire. In addition to her role as Jessica Lovelock, Heywood played Sally Bennett in the Gerry Poulson film Stanley's Dragon. She has also guest-starred in Knightmare, Next of Kin, four episodes of Coronation Street and A Prince Among Men.
In recent years, her television appearances have become less regular. She has appeared in Heartbeat, Emmerdale Farm and My Hero. Since then, Heywood has continued to perform frequently in regional and West End theatre productions, including plays, musicals and pantomimes.
Filmography
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1986Brush StrokesWoman in JacuzziEpisode: #1.131988–1989First of the Summer WineDilys13 episodes1991The New StatesmanCher TitleyEpisode: "Natural Selection"1991The Brittas EmpireMandyEpisode: "Stop Thief"1991The Les Dennis Laughter ShowEpisode: #5.61992–1993Grace & FavourJessica Lovelock12 episodes1994Ben Elton: The Man from AuntieTelephone operatorEpisode: #2.51994KnightmareStiletta5 episodes1994ArtrageousKate1996Next of KinCarolineEpisode: "Pollution"1997A Prince Among MenSusan HamiltonEpisode: "Monkey Business"2000HeartbeatRachel OsborneEpisode: "The Fool on the Hill"2000Kiss Me KateSarahEpisode: "Christmas"2004EastEndersHayleyEpisode: #1.27702005My HeroWendy WilliamsEpisode: "The First Husbands' Club"2006Losing ItFish Family MumTelevision film2018At the BarRuth Karp QCTelevision short2004–2020EmmerdaleVarious9 episodes1997–2022Coronation StreetAngela Instructor Miss Finn4 episodes
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1994Stanley's DragonSally Bennett2014GoneSusanne TaylorShort film2017With Friends Like TheseKathyShort film2019SequinsDebbie BigsbyShort film2023Gran TurismoClothing Customer
Stage roles YearTitleVenueRole1985Jack and the BeanstalkTheatre Royal, York1987High Society (musical)Victoria Palace, London1988–1989Camelot (musical)Liverpool Playhouse, Liverpool1992Scrooge: The MusicalAlexandra Theatre, BirminghamIsabel1998Out of Order (play)Mill at Sonning, Sonning EyeJane Worthington1999The Strange & Surprising Adventures of Robinson CrusoePalace Theatre, WatfordDolly2000Behind the Scenes at the Museum (play)Theatre Royal, YorkPatricia2000–2001Dick Whittington (pantomime)Theatre Royal, York2001All for Mary (play)Mill at Sonning, Sonning EyeMary Millar2002–2003Babbies in the Wood (pantomime)Theatre Royal, YorkPrincipal Boy2003–2004Mother Goose's Silver Jubilee (pantomime)Theatre Royal, YorkPrincipal Boy2005Sleeping Beauty (pantomime)City Varieties Music Hall, LeedsVulgaria2007Waiting for Gateaux (play)Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne2007–2008Sleeping Beauty (pantomime)Gala Theatre, Durham CityCarabosse2008Birthday Suite (play)Mill at Sonning, Sonning EyeKate2008–2009Sleeping Beauty (pantomime)Octagon Theatre, YeovilCarabosse2010Nightfright: The Nightmare of Your Life (play)Connaught Theatre, WorthingJacqui2010Legacy Falls (musical)New Players Theatre, LondonTaylor Taylor
References
External links