As she lands a new role on a Netflix drama, we take a look at the successful career and life of British actress Siobhan Finneran. From her first major job as Rita in the 1987 film Rita, Sue and Bob Too, to her role as Claire in the popular British crime drama Happy Valley, the 58-year-old has barely been off our screens. Here’s everything you need to know about the Lancashire-born actress.
Is Siobhan Finneran married?
Siobhan was previously married to Heartbeat and Emmerdale actor Mark Jordon whom she met in the 1990s. The couple wed in 1997 and have two children together, a daughter named Poppy and a son called Jordan – who are both in their twenties. Siobhan and Mark were married for 17 years but divorced in 2014. Mark later remarried Emmerdale star, Laura Norton, with the couple going on to have two children of their own. In an interview with Hello magazine in 2023, the couple opened up about how their kids are both affected by a rare genetic disease called Usher syndrome that affects their vision and hearing.
Is Siobhan Finneran dating?
Siobhan keeps her private life out of the public eye. However, in May of this year Hello magazine ran a piece that linked her to fellow actor, Don Gilet – who has appeared in EastEnders and has recently been announced as the new Detective Inspector in Death in Paradise, which is due to air at Christmas time.
According to the Hello article, “the couple co-starred in The Loch in 2017, arrived at the TV Choice Awards together in 2022, and a year later, were spotted holding hands at The Cure Usher Ball. They are yet to address romance rumours.”
Is Siobhan Finneran on Instagram?
Siobhan does not seem to have a personal account, but there is a support page named teamsfinneran dedicated to her.
Siobhan Finneran movies
After completing a theatre studies course, Siobhan made her first appearance in the 1987 independent film Rita, Sue and Bob Too. In the comedy drama she played the role of Rita, a teenager who had an affair with an older married man called Bob.
Siobhan Finneran TV shows
The majority of Siobhan’s career has involved her working on numerous TV shows for almost four decades. She appeared onCoronation Street intermittently between August 1989 and March 1990 as Josie Phillips, an employee at Baldwin's Casuals. In the British sitcom TV series Clocking Off, between 2000 and 2002, she played Janice Garvey, a loud, opinionated factory worker - a role that won her huge praise amongst fans of the show.
After several other roles, Siobhan appeared in the 2007 ITV comedy Benidorm, which she starred in until 2015 playing the part of Janice Garvey. At the same time as working on Benidorm, Siobhan joined the cast of the hit period drama Downton Abbey in 2010, where she played the scheming maid Sarah O’Brien. In 2012 she won the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for her work on the show at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and was nominated for it again a year later.
Around the same time, in 2013, Siobhan decided to leave the cast, telling the Daily Mail at the time: “I signed up to do three series and that was all I wanted to do. I talked it through with my family and it was the right decision for all of us. I had great fun doing it but I just didn't want to do it anymore. I decided this before we even did the last series. When I stop loving something, I stop doing it."
What followed next was several other TV appearances, including her perhaps most well-known role in BBC One’s Happy Valley. Siobhan first made a name for herself portraying the story of recovering heroin addict Clare, the sister of main character sergeant Catherine Cawood. Siobhan went on to star in the second, third and fourth series of the show, that aired last year.
As for her current TV work, Siobhan is the lead character in a new ITV thriller called Protection, which is in production. Siobhan has also recently been announced in the cast of Netflix's new psychological thriller series Out of the Dust, which is also in production and due to be released in 2025.
Siobhan Finneran new drama
Siobhan has landed a new role on a Netflix drama, where she will lead the cast of psychological thriller Out of the Dust. A six-part series that is due to be shown on Netflix in 2025, Siobhan plays the part of a wife called Mrs. Phillips.
Suzanne Baum is an award-winning beauty editor, with columns across numerous outlets, including the Metro, Women's Fitness, the Independent and Yahoo. Having written about beauty for over 20 years, Suzanne regularly reports on the latest beauty news; from trialling out new beauty innovations and aesthetic treatments to writing on the best products for women and men.