Joan Blackham is an experienced character actress working in television, film and theatre.

She was recognised early in her career as a comic talent appearing in many sitcom series, notably as Podge Hodge in To The Manor Born and John Thaw's home help in Home to Roost.

Kenneth Williams chose her to play Fay in his production of Loot at the Lyric Hammersmith which then transferred to the West End. Other notable theatre credits include the original West End cast of Calendar Girls; King Lear, Man of Mode and Across Oka for the RSC; Jane Eyre for Shared Experience and When We Are Married at West Yorkshire Playhouse.

Recent TV highlights include Midsomer Murders, Honest, Judge John Deed, Blue Murder and Inspector Morse.

She will soon be seen in The Sweeney and Noel Clarke's film The Knot. Other film credits include Bridget Jones's Diary and Plenty.

Film
The Landlady, THE SWEENEY, Sweeney Productions Ltd, Nick Love
Dorothy, A ROOM TO LET, February Films, Abner Pastoll
Jenny, AWAY FROM IT ALL, Rural Media Company, Simon Bovey
Aunt Claire, THE KNOT, The Knot Film Ltd, Noel Clarke/Jesse Lawrence
Mrs Griffin, THESE FOOLISH THINGS, These Foolish Things Ltd, Julia Taylor-Stanley
Paddy, MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS (Cannes), Mansion Pictures/Lynda La Plante, David Conolly/Hannah Davis
Shirley, BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY, Miramax Films, Sharon Maguire
Librarian, A MERRY WAR/KEEP THE ASPIDISTRA FLYING, Overseas Film Group, Robert Bierman
Jo, SOLITAIRE FOR 2, New Circle Entertainment, Gary Sinyor
Doctor, THE ZIP, Usualstone, Jo Ann Kaplan
Miss Simpson, PLENTY, Twentieth Century Fox, Fred Schepisi

Television
Eleanor, DOCTORS, BBC TV, Graham Moore
Maureen Stubbs, MIDSOMER MURDERS, Bentley Productions, Peter Smith
Margaret, HONEST , Greenlit/ITV, Julian Holmes/Brian Kelly
Granny Evans, LIVING IT, Mentorn, Rick Stroud
Lady Vera Everard, JUDGE JOHN DEED (Series Regular), BBC , Various Directors
Bridie Taylor, DOCTORS, BBC, Michael Baig-Clifford
Irene, THE AFTERNOON PLAY, BBC , Matthew Parkhill
Mrs Fforbes Heppelthwaite, HEARTBEAT, YTV, Jonas Grimas
Pathologist, BLUE MURDER , Granada , Alex Pillai
Mrs La Palotte, ISLAND AT WAR, Granada , Thaddeus O’Sullivan
Miss Bembridge, BACK HOME, ITV, Simon Massey
Rosemary, BIG BAD WORLD (Sitcom Series), Carlton , Phillipa Langdale
Jean Wolf, CRY WOLF (Sitcom Series), Alomo, Dewi Humphreys
Jane Heylin, HOLBY CITY, BBC , Jim Shields
Carol, HAPPINESS, BBC , Declan Lowney
Mrs Sherbourne, DANGERFIELD, BBC , Brett Fallis
Mrs Holmes, CALL RED, Film & General Productions, Michael Jenner
Judge Advocate, SOLDIER SOLDIER, ITV, Catherine Morshead
Mrs Sullivan, THE GRAND, Granada , Douglas Mackinnon
Governor Ennis, SHE’S OUT, Carlton , Ian Toynton
Rosemary, THE PLANT, BBC , Jonathan Lewis
Avril, SECOND THOUGHTS, LWT, Robin Carr
Helen Buscott, INSPECTOR MORSE, Zenith Productions, Herbie Wise
Oxfam Lady, HARRY ENFIELD , BBC, John Birkin
Miss Runcorn, ON THE UP, BBC, Gareth Gwenlan
Miss Payne, HANNAY, Thames, Guy Slater
Fiona Fennell, HOME TO ROOST (Sitcom Series), YTV, David Reynolds
Headmistress, INTIMATE CONTACT, Central, Waris Hussein
Heather, A SMALL PROBLEM (Sitcom Series), BBC, David Askey
Mrs Gibson, CHOCKY’S CHALLENGE (Series Regular), Thames TV, Bob Blagden
Matron Smurthwaite, PARADISE POSTPONED (Series Regular), Euston Films,
Lady Sophie, LYTTON’S DIARY, Talback Thames, Derek Bennett
Jane, SWEET SIXTEEN (Sitcom Series), BBC, Gareth Gwenlan
Ruth, TAKE A LETTER MR JONES (Sitcom Series), ITV, Brian Izzard
‘Podge’ Hodge, TO THE MANOR BORN, BBC , Gareth Gwenlan
Kaye Gregory, BIRDS OF PREY, BBC, Don Leaver
Mrs Randall, JUST WILLIAM, LWT, John Davies
Stella, THE OTHER ONE, BBC, Gareth Gwenlan
Miss Erith, REGGIE PERRIN , BBC, Gareth Gwenlan

Theatre
Brenda Hulse/Lady Cravenshire, CALENDAR GIRLS, Chichester, UK Tour & West End, Hamish McColl
Mrs Reed/Mrs Fairfax, JANE EYRE, Shared Experience, UK/ World Tour & West End, Polly Teale
Lady Bracknell, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, Dramatic Attic, Shanghai, Jean Paul Cherrington
Miss Parker, THE MONA LISA MYSTERY, Regents Park Open Air, Rachel Kavanaugh
Lady Verinder, THE MOONSTONE, Royal Exchange, James Maxwell
Clara Soppit, WHEN WE ARE MARRIED, West Yorkshire Playhouse, John Adams
Irene, GAMES, Gate Theatre, Derek Wax
Lettice, LETTICE AND LOVAGE, Westcliff Palace, Chris Dunham
Lady Townley, MAN OF MODE, RSC, Garry Hynes
Queen/Chorus, LOVE OF THE NIGHTINGALE, RSC, Garry Hynes
Goneril, KING LEAR, RSC, Cis Berry
Margaret, ACROSS OKA, RSC, Sarah Pia Anderson
Edna Klein, CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD, Mermaid/Albery , Gordon Davidson
Fay, LOOT, Hammersmith Lyric , Kenneth Williams