Jane Annabelle Apsion (born 17 September 1960^[1] inHammersmith, London) is an English actress best known for playingMonica Gallagher in the televisioncomedy-dramaShameless (2004-2013), Joy Wilton inSoldier Soldier (1991-1995), and Violet Buckle inCall the Midwife^[2] (2015-Present).

Apart fromShameless, Apsion is also known for her portrayals of Betty inMy Good Friend, Beverly inThe Lakes,Patricia Hillman inCoronation Street, and Mrs. Beech inMichelle Magorian'sGoodnight Mister Tom. She has appeared in two separate episodes ofMidsomer Murders,Death in Chorus andDead Man's 11, as two different characters. She played Jenni Hicks, whose two daughters died at the 1989Hillsborough disaster, in the docudramaHillsborough, which aired in 1996.^[3] She has since featured in an episode ofLewis and played a small role in the first episode of the sitcomIn with the Flynns. Most recently, she appeared in the BBC seriesThe Village alongside herShameless co-starMaxine Peake.^{[citation needed]}

In 2001, she co-starred alongsideJohnny Depp,Heather Graham, andRobbie Coltrane inFrom Hell asPolly Nichols, the first known victim ofJack the Ripper. Other films she has appeared in includeAbout a Boy,The War Zone,Lolita,This Year's Love, andIronclad.

Apsion appeared intermittently onShameless asMonica Gallagher between 2004 and 2006 before becoming a regular cast member for the show's fourth series in 2007.^{[citation needed]} She left the show in 2008, with her final scenes airing in March 2009 during the sixth series.^[4] She briefly returned to the role in 2011 during the eighth series^[5][6] and for the eleventh and final series in 2013.^[7][5][6]

Outside of acting, she has appeared as a guest panellist on Five'sThe Wright Stuff during 2008 and 2009.^[8]

In 2014, Apsion portrayed Annette Walker in an episode of the detective dramaSuspects, and more recently she appeared inCall the Midwife since 2015 as Violet Buckle (née Gee), and in episodes ofDoc Martin as Jennifer Cardew.^[9]

In 2020 Apsion played Beattie May in an episode ofFather Brown.

Apsion is a former student ofGodalming College,Surrey and theUniversity of Wales.^[10] She is also co-founder and practitioner of theRosen Method Bodywork in the UK, an alternative health practice which integrates mind and body.^[11]

• Annabelle Apsion atIMDb

• 1960 births
• English film actresses
• English radio actresses
• English stage actresses
• English television actresses
• Living people
• Actresses from London
• People from Hammersmith
• 20th-century English actresses
• 21st-century English actresses
• Actors from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

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