Sheridan Smith OBE
Smith in 2022
Born	Sheridan Caroline Sian Smith (1981-06-25)25 June 1981 (age 44) Epworth,Lincolnshire, England
Occupations	Actress singer
Years active	1998–present
Children	1
Musical career
Genres	R&B pop soul show tunes
Instrument	Vocals
Labels	East West
Musical artist
Signature

Sheridan Caroline Sian Smith (born 25 June 1981) is an English actress and singer. She came to prominence after playing a variety of characters insitcoms, includingThe Royle Family (1999–2000),Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps (2001–2009),Gavin & Stacey (2008–2010, 2024), andBenidorm (2009). Her accolades include twoOlivier Awards, aBritish Academy Television Award, and aNational Television Award, as well as twoInternational Emmy Award nominations. She was appointedOfficer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the2015 New Year Honours for services to drama.^[1]

With a career spanning over two decades, Smith has appeared in the drama seriesJonathan Creek (2009–2013) and in a succession of television dramas, such asMrs Biggs (2012),Cilla (2014),The C Word (2015),Black Work (2015),The Moorside (2017),Cleaning Up (2019), andFour Lives (2022). Her film credits includeTower Block (2012),Quartet (2012),The Huntsman: Winter's War (2016),The Railway Children Return (2022).

Smith has appeared in theWest End musicalsLittle Shop of Horrors (2007),Legally Blonde (2010),Funny Girl (2016),Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (2019),Shirley Valentine (2023), andOpening Night (2024). In 2017, she released her debut studio album,Sheridan, which debuted at number nine on theUK Albums Chart. Her second studio album,A Northern Soul, was released the following year.

Sheridan Caroline Sian Smith was born on 25 June 1981^[2] inEpworth, Lincolnshire, the only daughter of Marylin Smith and the late Colin Smith (1936–2016).^[3] Sheridan had an older brother Julian, who died of cancer at the age of 18.^[2] Her grandfather was abanjo player inSheffield, Yorkshire and later played as a trio with his daughters.^[4] Smith studied dance at theJoyce Mason School of Dancing from an early age.^[2] She later attendedSouth Axholme Comprehensive School;^[5] she was a member of theNational Youth Music Theatre from 1995 to 2001, performing a number of understudy roles in productions such asBugsy Malone,Pendragon, andInto the Woods.^[6] She completed her further education atJohn Leggott College inScunthorpe.^[7]

From 1999 to 2000, Smith played Emma inThe Royle Family. She playedJanet Keogh in the long-running seriesTwo Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps from 2001 until 2009.

In 2000 Smith played the role of Lyn Marsh in theHeartbeat episode "A Shot in the Dark". In 2000 she also played a wayward teenager in "Where the Heart is". This was followed in February 2003, when she appeared inHeartbeat's sister programmeThe Royal, where she played the part of Francesca Wheeler, a teenage girl who was suffering from leukaemia in the episode "Immediate Care."

In 2004, she made a one-episode appearance inMile High as Suzy, an airport cleaner who impersonates a flight attendant in an attempt to become cabin crew. She also featured inThe Comic Strip's 2005 episode "Sex Actually" as Angie.^{[citation needed]}

Smith played Cleo Martin inLove Soup (2005) and starred as Michelle, a hypocritical nutritionist, in three series of the sitcomGrownups (2006–2009). She has also appeared onThe Lenny Henry Show as M.E. Westmocott, a role spoofing the various medical examiners onCSI. In the 2009Two Pints of LagerComic Relief special, which crossed over withGrownups, she played her characters from both series.^[8]

Smith has also appeared in a number of other shows including theBBC'sEyes Down, in which she played Sandy, and smaller parts in shows such asThe Bill andFat Friends. She featured asRudi, Smithy's little sister, in the second and third series of theBBC Three sitcomGavin & Stacey. She guest starred in the Christmas 2008 episode ofLark Rise to Candleford. Since 2009, she has played Joey Ross in special seasonal episodes ofJonathan Creek, namely "The Grinning Man" (2009), "The Judas Tree" (2010), and "The Clue of the Savant's Thumb" (2013). She playedBrandy in the third series ofBenidorm^[9].

During 2010, Smith acted as a mentor to the contestants of the BBC showOver the Rainbow.Sky Arts' Chekhov Comedy Shorts also featured Smith in 2010 when she starred as Natasha inThe Proposal.^[10] She appeared in the 2011 filmHysteria, about the invention of the vibrator.^[11] For the factual hospital seriesBizarre ER, she took over narration duties fromFreema Agyeman. She appeared in the 2012ITVfilm adaptation ofDaphne du Maurier's novelThe Scapegoat.^[12]

In September 2012 Smith played the title role inMrs Biggs, a five-part series onITV.^[13] In 2013, she appeared in theChannel 4 seriesDates. In January 2014, she starred in the two-part BBC dramaThe 7.39. In March 2014, she appeared in the ITV crime dramaThe Widower as the first wife of serial killerMalcolm Webster. Later that year, she featured in the seriesWho Do You Think You Are? and playedCilla Black in the three-part ITV drama seriesCilla.^[14]

In 2015 she starred as cancer patientLisa Lynch in the one-off BBC dramaThe C Word^[15][16] and as policewoman Jo Gillespie in the three-partITV dramaBlack Work, which was nominated for aNational Television Award in 2016.^[17]

Smith narrated the reality seriesBear Grylls: Mission Survive from 2015. The show was nominated for aNational Television Award in 2016 but was cancelled after two series. In February 2017, she starred inThe Moorside, a BBC drama based on thekidnapping of Shannon Matthews in 2008.^[18]

She appeared in her own ITV music special in November 2017. TitledSheridan, the one-off special presented byAlexander Armstrong saw her performing some of the songs from her album, and talking about her life.^[19]

In December 2017, Smith starred as evil step-mum Sheila in the television adaptation ofDavid Walliams' children's book,Ratburger.^[20] It was broadcast onSky One. In January 2019, she appeared as Sam inITV drama seriesCleaning Up.^[21][22]

In January 2021, Smith appeared as a guest judge in thesecond series of the BBC drag competition series,RuPaul's Drag Race UK.^[23] Later in 2021, she presented the BBC dog-grooming competitionPooch Perfect.^[24]

In January 2022, Smith starred as Jenna^[25] inThe Teacher, a drama series about a drinking, smoking, hard-living teacher who is accused of sleeping with one of her students. Critics generally were positive of Smith, with one reviewer forThe Independent praising her performance as "so much flair and vulnerability" and rating the show 4/5 stars.^[26] In June 2022, Smith narrated all episodes of Channel 5 docusoapThe Cruise.^[27] In 2023, Smith began filmingThe Castaways forParamount+.^[28][29]

In 2025, Smith starred in ITV'sI Fought the Law, a four-part crime series based onAnn Ming's non-fiction book For the Love of Julie, detailing a long campaign to overturn the British double jeopardy law following the murder of her daughter. The show, and Smith's performance, received widespread acclaim from critics. Writing in The Times, Carol Midgely gave it five stars, stating that I Fought The Law was "Unforgettable... Four beautifully written episodes... If [Sheridan Smith] doesn't win an award, it will be a travesty." Deborah Ross also gave it five stars in the Mail on Sunday, calling it "remarkable in every way" and praising the final scene in particular as "one of the most tender, affecting and wonderfully judged moments ever on TV".

Smith's theatre credits include the musicalInto the Woods at London'sDonmar Warehouse,^[30] andShakespeare'sThe Taming of the Shrew andA Midsummer Night's Dream at theOpen Air Theatre, Regent's Park.^[31] She also played Audrey in the stage production ofLittle Shop of Horrors at theMenier Chocolate Factory, London, from November 2006, with the production then transferring to theDuke of York's Theatre in March 2007. Following a successful run the production moved again at the end of June 2007 to theNew Ambassadors Theatre, where its played until September 2007. Smith was nominated for the 2008Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her performance in the show.^[32]

Smith appeared as Vanessa inTinderbox: a Revenge Comedy byLucy Kirkwood at theBush Theatre,Shepherd's Bush, in April 2008.^[33] Smith originated the role ofElle Woods in the musical version ofLegally Blonde in its transfer from Broadway to London'sWest End in December 2009.^[34] Ex-Blue boyband memberDuncan James played opposite Smith until June 2010, when he was replaced byRichard Fleeshman. Other cast members Smith has performed alongside includeAoife Mulholland as Brooke,Denise Van Outen as Paulette,Peter Davison as Professor Callahan andAlex Gaumond as Emmett Forrest.^[35] Her performance was well received,The Daily Telegraph describing her as: "blessed with vitality, warmth, great comic timing and sudden moments of touching vulnerability. She is infinitely more likeable thanReese Witherspoon inthe film."^[36]

Smith's run inLegally Blonde was due to finish on 23 October 2010, buther run was extended to 8 January 2011.^[37] For her role inLegally Blonde, Smith won theWhatsOnStage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Actress in a Musical.^[38] She was also nominated for theEvening Standard Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress and was the winner of theLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical.^[39][40]

Between March and June 2011, she appeared inTrevor Nunn's production ofFlare Path at theTheatre Royal, Haymarket as Doris, a former barmaid married to a Polish count in theRAF. The production was part of the playwrightTerence Rattigan's centenary year celebrations and also starredSienna Miller andJames Purefoy. For this role she won the 2012Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role,^[41] the 2011Evening Standard Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress^[42] and theBroadwayWorld UK Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play.^[43]

As well as her role inLegally Blonde, Smith also performed the title role in the workshop productions of a newmusical adaptation ofBridget Jones' Diary.^[44] On 5 April 2012, it was announced that Smith had decided to pull out of the musical, delaying the production of the show.

From September to November 2012, Smith played the title role inHedda Gabler at theOld Vic, winning the 2013Theatregoers' Choice Award for "Best Actress in a Leading Role" in a Play.^[45] Shortly before collecting her award at the ceremony on 17 February 2013, Smith performed the original song "Stagey and Proud", which was written by Chris Passey and Amy Carroll.^[46]From September to November 2013, she starred alongsideDavid Walliams in aWest End production ofA Midsummer Night's Dream, as part ofMichael Grandage's season of plays at theNoël Coward Theatre.

Smith starred in a new London production of the musicalFunny Girl. It previewed at theMenier Chocolate Factory from 20 November 2015, opened on 2 December and ran until 6 March 2016.^[47][48] The show then transferred to theSavoy Theatre in the West End for a 12-week run, but extended through 8 October 2016.^[49] Sheridan Smith states inThe Stage^[50] that she is married to the job. Smith continued with the role throughout its UK Tour.

Smith played the Narrator inTim Rice andAndrew Lloyd Webber'sJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at theLondon Palladium over the 2019 summer season withJason Donovan as The Pharaoh and Jac Yarrow as Joseph.^[51] From March 2024, she starred as Myrtle inOpening Night at theGielgud Theatre in the West End. The show's music and lyrics were written byRufus Wainwright.^[52][53][54]

Smith played companionLucie Miller alongsidePaul McGann'sEighth Doctor in a radio series ofDoctor Who, produced byBig Finish and transmitted onBBC 7 from New Year's Eve 2006; the plays returned in a second series released on CD and scheduled for BBC 7 broadcast. A third series of adventures for Lucie and the Doctor aired in March 2009, as weekly half-hour downloads followed by a Christmas Special. Lucie Miller made her final appearances in the fourth series, ending in 2011.^[55] She also narrated twoBig Finish Short Trips stories, "The Curse of the Fugue" and "Flashpoint." Smith has reprised her role as Lucie Miller opposite McGann's Eighth Doctor inThe Further Adventures of Lucie Miller, released in July 2019.^[56] Smith also appeared as Ruby Ruggles in the 2008 radio serialThe Way We Live Right Now, and took over the role of Tamsin Trelawny in series 2 ofElephants to Catch Eels onBBC Radio 4.

Smith has spoken about heranxiety,panic attacks, and difficulties with alcohol and tattoos.^[57][58][29] In December 2023, she spoke of her tattoo regrets and her intention not to add any further ink to her skin.^[28][59]

Smith was in a relationship withJames Corden from 2007 until 2009.^[60] She was in a relationship with Jamie Horn, aninsurance broker, between 2018 and 2021.^[61] Together they have a son, born in May 2020.^[62][63]

Classic BRIT Awards

BroadwayWorld UK Awards

Evening Standard Awards

Laurence Olivier Awards

Manchester Theatre Awards

Whatsonstage.com Audience Awards

AACTA Awards

BAFTA TV Awards

Emmy Awards

National Television Awards

Royal Television Society Awards

TV Choice Award

Women in Film & Television Awards

• List of British actors

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