Suranne Jones

Sarah Anne Akers (née Jones; born 27 August 1978), known professionally as Suranne Jones, is an English actress and producer.

Jones was born Sarah Anne Jones in Chadderton, Greater Manchester, on 27 August 1978.

She has an older brother named Gary.

Jones was raised Catholic; her priest suggested to her father she be christened Sarah Anne instead of Suranne, her great-grandmother's name, as Suranne was not "a proper name".

She grew up in a house on Foxdenton Lane, surrounded by two farms and their fields and commented that one of her earliest memories is of "cows looking in the window as we ate our tea".

As a child she was talkative, and later recounted that her priest would tell her, "I'm praying you can concentrate just a bit more".

Jones was educated at Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School in Middleton.

Talking of her childhood, she commented, "I think I always wanted to be different and felt very stifled at school".

She also said, "I was bullied at school and I let that get hold of me and withdrew into myself — I regret letting that happen."

She became a member of the Oldham Theatre Workshop and completed a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts, which she felt "[wasn't] quite the same as drama school".

Jones began acting professionally aged 16.

Andrew Billen of The Times, acknowledging her professional career beginnings at 16, wrote that "she took to the stage at 8".

Jones later said that her first role was at the age of 8, in Wait Until Dark as Gloria.

Upon joining the trade union Equity, Jones took on the stage name "Suranne Jones", as her birth name was already taken, and union rules dictate that each union member must have a different name.

Having obtained an agent at 15, she began to act in the theatre.

Jones's television career began in 1997, with a small role in Coronation Street in April 1997 as Mandy Phillips, a girlfriend of Chris Collins (Matthew Marsden).

She was then cast in a television advert for Maltesers, guest starred in episodes of series such as City Central and had a small role in My Wonderful Life.

She auditioned for the role of Charity Dingle on the soap opera Emmerdale, becoming one of the final four actresses considered for the part, although the role was eventually given to Emma Atkins.

She also auditioned for the part of Geena Gregory on Coronation Street, although she felt she knew Jennifer James would win the role — which she did — upon seeing her at the auditions.

Known for her numerous collaborations with screenwriter Sally Wainwright, she rose to prominence playing Karen McDonald on ITV's Coronation Street between 2000 and 2004.

In 2000, some weeks after her unsuccessful audition for Geena Gregory, Jones was contacted by Coronation Street bosses, who offered her the part of a new character.

Jones took on the role of Karen Phillips (no relation to Mandy), making her first appearance on 21 June.

The character, after marrying Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson), took on his surname, and became Karen McDonald.

Described as "a bulldog in hoop earrings" and a "Victoria Beckham wannabe", the role garnered Jones public attention, with episodes involving feuds between her and rival Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) receiving high viewing ratings.

Jones also began modelling for men's magazines such as FHM and Loaded, saying: "I was 21, and within three weeks of me joining Corrie I was in Barbados doing a bikini shoot [...] I was quite impressionable and I'd just say yes to everything because I wanted to keep my job. The press officer is saying: 'Do this and you'll be the new young funky sexy girl.' We were all doing it at that time, but I realised quite quickly that I needed to concentrate on what I was doing".

In May 2004, it was announced that Jones was to leave Coronation Street after four years of playing Karen.

She described working on a soap opera as "exhausting", remarking, "I was living and breathing Karen McDonald".

She made her last appearance as Karen on Boxing Day 2004.

Of her tenure as Karen McDonald on Coronation Street, Jones later remarked: "I just thought, while she's brilliant and I'm enjoying her, I've got to get out".

Jones stated that upon her departure from Coronation Street, she received numerous offers to appear in reality TV programmes, which she declined, quipping: "lots of money to go off and eat a crocodile's knob, or whatever".

Upon leaving, she furthered her television career in drama series such as Vincent (2005–2006), Strictly Confidential (2006), Harley Street (2008), and Unforgiven (2009).

On stage, Jones has appeared in productions of A Few Good Men (2005), Blithe Spirit (2009), Top Girls (2011), Beautiful Thing (2013), Orlando (2014), and Frozen (2018).

She is married and has one child.

Ignoring reality TV offers, in autumn 2005, Jones starred in an ITV's detective drama series Vincent, with Ray Winstone in the title role; this was Jones's first television role since leaving Coronation Street the previous year.

In the same year, she starred on the West End stage in A Few Good Men opposite Rob Lowe and John Barrowman, which earned her the Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress.

She also appeared in the musical special Celebrate Oliver! which was screened on BBC1.

Jones starred as Detective Rachel Bailey in the police procedural Scott & Bailey (2011–2016), and garnered further attention with headline roles in Single Father, Five Days (both 2010), A Touch of Cloth (2012–2014), and The Crimson Field (2014).

For her portrayal of Gemma Foster—a GP who suffers personal betrayal—in Doctor Foster (2015–2017), Jones received several awards, including the 2016 British Academy Television Award for Best Actress.

Subsequent credits include Save Me (2018), Vigil (2021–present), and Gentleman Jack (2019–2022).

For the latter, on which she served as executive producer, Jones was again nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress.