Jessica Hynes
Biography
Jessica Hynes (née Stevenson) is a British actress, director and writer. Best known as a comedy actress, she has played Cheryl in The Royle Family (1998–2010), Siobhan Sharpe in Twenty Twelve (2011–2012) and W1A (2014–2017) and Emily Yates in There She Goes (2018–2023). She was also one of the stars, creators and writers of Spaced (1999–2001). She has also had starring roles in television film Tomorrow La Scala! and BBC dramas Years and Years (2019) and Miss Austen (2025). In film, Hynes has appeared in the Bridget Jones (2004–2016), Nativity (2012–2018) and Paddington (2017–2024) film series. Hynes has been nominated for two International Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, five BAFTAs (winning two), three Royal Television Society Awards (winning two) and three British Comedy Awards (winning two). Hynes was born in Lewisham, London, and grew up in Brighton, where she attended St Luke's Infant and Junior Schools and Dorothy Stringer High School. After her parents split up, she was raised by her mother. She moved back to London as a young adult. Her maternal grandmother came from the village of Llanelian, north Wales, where her uncle also ran a farm. Her mother is a fluent Welsh speaker who later moved back to north Wales. In 2023, Hynes took part in the S4C series Iaith ar Daith where she began to learn the Welsh language; she cited being able to speak Welsh to her mother as a reason why she wanted to take part in the programme. Early in her career, Hynes teamed up with future Spaced co-star Katy Carmichael in a comedy double-act called the Liz Hurleys, appeared in two productions at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre, and acted for television shows including Staying Alive, Six Pairs of Pants, (Un)natural Acts, and Asylum (on which the Spaced team of Hynes, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright first assembled). From 1998 to 2000, she played the supporting role of Cheryl in the hit sitcom The Royle Family; she reprised the role for special episodes in 2006, 2009 and 2010. In 1999, she co-wrote and starred in Spaced, for which she won two comedy awards and was nominated for an International Emmy and a Bafta for writing and creating the show alongside Simon Pegg. In 2017 , she directed her first feature film, The Fight, produced by Jamie Adams and Unstoppable media. In 2018, she played the role of a mother in the BBC Four programme There She Goes. She stars alongside David Tennant, raising a daughter with a severe learning disability. It is based on the real life of writer Shaun Pye and his wife Sarah Crawford whose daughter was born with a chromosomal disorder. She won a Bafta for her role in the series and was nominated for an International Emmy for her role in '414' the special made in 2023. In 2019, she starred in the BBC and HBO production Years and Years for which she won a Royal Television Society award.
Known For

Midsomer Murders

Doctor Who

Skins

The Graham Norton Show

QI

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Never Mind the Buzzcocks

The Last Leg
All Movies (52)
- Death of a Unicorn2025 · as Shaw
- Paddington in Peru2024 · as Miss Kitts
- Seize Them!2024 · as Leofwine
- A Brush with Comedy2023 · as Self
- Rapture2023
- Friday Night Dinner: 10 Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel2021 · as Self
- Catching the Bus2021 · as Marion
- Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse2020 · as Sofie Dahl
- Miranda: My Such Fun Celebration2020 · as Self
- Seagull2019 · as Janet
- Hollywood's Dark Secret2019 · as Self
- The Fight2019 · as Tina Bell
- Nativity Rocks!2018 · as Angel Matthews
- Songbird2018 · as Sara
- Paddington 22017 · as Miss Kitts
- Shelter2017 · as Wendie
- Bridget Jones's Baby2016 · as Magda
- We Love Sitcom2016
- Roald Dahl's Most Marvellous Book2016 · as Self
- Swallows and Amazons2016 · as Mrs. Jackson
- Cider with Rosie2015 · as Crabby
- Winter2015 · as Claudia
- Pudsey the Dog: The Movie2014 · as Gail
- Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger!2012 · as Angel Matthews
- Chalet Girl2011 · as Interviewer 2
- The Royle Family: Joe's Crackers2010 · as Cheryl
- The Angina Monologues2010 · as Herself/Sarah
- The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa2010 · as Self
- Burke & Hare2010 · as Lucky
- The Lost Explorer2010
- Lizzie and Sarah2010 · as Sarah/Ellie
- The Golden Egg Cup2009 · as Cheryl Carroll
- Faintheart2009 · as Cath
- The Mighty Boosh: A Journey Through Time and Space2008 · as Herself
- Learners2007 · as Beverley
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix2007 · as Mafalda Hopkirk (voice)
- Magicians2007 · as Linda Jones
- Son of Rambow2007 · as Mary Proudfoot
- Four Last Songs2007 · as Miranda
- The Secret Policeman's Ball: The Ball in the Hall2006 · as Self
- Confetti2006 · as Sam (as Jessica Stevenson)
- Pinochet in Suburbia2006 · as WPC Broughton
- Comic Aid2005 · as Herself - Presenter
- Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason2004 · as Magda
- Spaced: Skip to the End2004 · as Self
- Shaun of the Dead2004 · as Yvonne
- Tomorrow La Scala!2002 · as Victoria (as Jessica Stevenson)
- Pure2002 · as Paramedic (as Jessica Stevenson)
- Dick Whittington: The ITV Pantomime2002 · as The Good Fairy (as Jessica Stevenson)
- Born Romantic2000 · as Libby
- The Baby of Mâcon1993 · as The First Midwife (as Jessica Stevenson)
- Swing Kids1993 · as Helga
All TV Shows (67)
- Miss Austen2025 · as Mary Austen
- Patience2025 · as DI Frankie Monroe
- The Franchise2024 · as Steph Mundun
- The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin2024 · as The Reddlehag
- Dreaming Whilst Black2023 · as Drew
- Life After Life2022 · as Mrs Glover
- The Witchfinder2022 · as Old Myers
- Mood2022 · as Laura
- David Mitchell's Outsiders2021 · as Self
- Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig2021 · as Self
- The Ranganation2019 · as Self
- Years and Years2019 · as Edith Lyons
- There She Goes2018 · as Emily
- Hang Ups2018 · as Katherine Pitt
- The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer2018 · as Self - Guest
- All Star Musicals2017 · as Self - Performer
- Celebrity Advice Bureau2016 · as Self
- Hooten & The Lady2016 · as Ella Bond
- Jack and Dean of All Trades2016 · as Marv (voice)
- Insert Name Here2016 · as Self - Panelist
- Travel Man: 48 Hours in...2015 · as Self - Guest
- Artsnight2015 · as Self
- Monty Python's Best Bits (Mostly)2014 · as Self
- Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled2014 · as Self
- W1A2014 · as Siobhan Sharpe
- Duck Quacks Don't Echo2014
- Inside No. 92014 · as Helen
- Crackanory2013 · as Self
- Up the Women2013 · as Margaret
- 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown2013 · as Self
- The Last Leg2013 · as Self
- Blandings2013 · as Lady Daphne Littlewood
- Gadget Man2012
- Dara O Briain's Science Club2012 · as Herself
- One Night2012 · as Carol
- World's Most Dangerous Roads2011
- Twenty Twelve2011 · as Siobhan Sharpe
- Justin Lee Collins: Good Times2010 · as Self
- British Film Forever2007 · as Narrator
- Would I Lie to You?2007 · as Self
- The Graham Norton Show2007 · as Self
- Skins2007 · as Crystal
- 8 Out of 10 Cats2005 · as Self
- Doctor Who Confidential2005
- Doctor Who2005 · as Joan Redfern
- According to Bex2005
- Bosom Pals2004
- Celebrity Mastermind2003
- QI2003 · as Self
- Friday Night with Jonathan Ross2001 · as Self
- Bob & Rose2001 · as Holly Vance
- Black Books2000 · as Eva
- Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)2000
- Spaced1999 · as Daisy Steiner
- People Like Us1999 · as Sarah
- The Royle Family1998 · as Cheryl Carroll
- Alexei Sayle's Merry-Go-Round1998
- Unnatural Acts1998
- Midsomer Murders1997 · as Judith Lessiter
- Never Mind the Buzzcocks1996 · as Self
- Mash and Peas1996
- Asylum1996 · as Martha
- Six Pairs of Pants1995
- Crown Prosecutor1995 · as Jackie South
- Tears Before Bedtime1995 · as Maggie
- Room 1011994 · as Self
- The House of Eliott1991 · as Charlotte Parker