Jo Joyner

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title: "Jo Joyner" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["living-people", "1977-births", "alumni-of-the-royal-welsh-college-of-music-&-drama", "english-soap-opera-actresses", "english-television-actresses", "actresses-from-harlow"] description: "English actress (born 1977)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo_Joyner" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary English actress (born 1977) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

Field	Value
name	Jo Joyner
image	Jojoynernew.jpg
caption	Joyner in 2011
birth_name	Joanne Mary Joyner
birth_date
birth_place	Harlow, Essex, England
alma_mater	Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
television	{{Plainlist
occupation	Actress
years_active	1999–present
spouse
children	2
::

| name = Jo Joyner | image = Jojoynernew.jpg | caption = Joyner in 2011 | birth_name = Joanne Mary Joyner | birth_date = | birth_place = Harlow, Essex, England | alma_mater = Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama | television = {{Plainlist|

• No Angels
• EastEnders
• Marley's Ghosts
• Ackley Bridge
• Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1999–present | spouse = | children = 2

Joanne Mary Joyner (born 24 May 1977) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Tanya Branning in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders and Mandy Carter in the Channel 4 school drama Ackley Bridge. From 2018, she has starred as Luella Shakespeare in the BBC crime drama series Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators.

Early life and education

In 1999, she graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff with a BA degree in Acting.

Career

After a stint of guest roles in shows such as Always and Everyone, The Cops, Heartbeat and Clocking Off, Joyner came to prominence after playing Beth Nicholls in Channel 4 comedy drama No Angels between 2004 and 2006. She later appeared in four episodes of North & South as Fanny Thornton and in two episodes of Doctor Who as Lynda Moss. In June 2006, Joyner began appearing as Tanya Branning in BBC One soap opera EastEnders. Joyner originally turned down the role on the show as she had doubts over whether she could work in a soap opera. Having worked quietly and successfully in the industry for eight years, Joyner was unsure if she would be comfortable with the level of fame being on EastEnders would bring her. She won the Most Popular Actress award at the Digital Spy Soap Awards in 2008 for the part of Tanya and also went on to win Best Dramatic Performance at the 2008 British Soap Awards, as well as making the final four in the Best Actress category. Joyner was nominated for the Best Actress award at the All About Soap Awards in 2012; she later won the award. In 2012, Joyner and co-star Jake Wood won the Best On-Screen Partnership category at the British Soap Awards. On Digital Spy's 2012 end of year reader poll, Joyner was nominated for Best Female Soap Actor and came fourth with 13.4% of the vote.

Whilst still appearing in EastEnders in 2011, Joyner appeared in BBC One comedy drama Candy Cabs as Jackie O’Sullivan. On 1 May 2012, it was reported that Joyner would take a prolonged break from EastEnders at the end of her current contract to spend time with her family. However, on 1 April 2013, it was announced that Joyner's departure would be indefinite as she wished to try new career paths. Joyner filmed her final scenes on 15 May 2013. She departed the show on 28 June 2013. Joyner reprised the role of Tanya in EastEnders for the 30th anniversary specials in February 2015 and again on Christmas Day 2017 as part of the storyline surrounding the exits of her onscreen daughters.

In June 2017, Joyner began portraying Mandy Carter in Channel 4’s drama Ackley Bridge. She departed from the series in the fourth series in 2021. In February 2018, she started to play Luella Shakespeare, alongside Mark Benton, in the BBC One comedy drama Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators.

In December 2021, Joyner appeared in the Netflix drama series Stay Close as Erin Cartwright. Then in 2022, she starred in the Channel 5 drama series Riptide. In May 2025, she played the on-duty doctor, Elizabeth Burgess, who must make the difficult decision whether to call social services or not, on a mother and her friend, Jess (Diane Kruger), who brings her child into A&E with an unexplainable injury in the Paramount+ show Little Disasters.

Personal life

Joyner announced in July 2009 that she was pregnant as a result of IVF treatment. She gave birth to twins.

Filmography

::data[format=table]

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1978	Murder She Wrote	Jessica	2 episodes
2000	Always and Everyone	Nurse
2001	The Cops	Carly Eaden
Heartbeat	Anna Young	Episode: "The Buxton Defence"
2002	Night Flight	Brigitte	Television film
Clocking Off	Tina	Episode: "Gary's Story"
2002–2003	Ed Stone Is Dead	Lisa	Main role
2003	Serious & Organised	Louise Adamson	Episode: "Unfaithful"
Spooks	Stephanie Mills	Episode: "I Spy Apocalypse"
Silent Witness	Cathy Mottram	2 episodes
2004	Fat Friends	Kirsty Grigg	Episode: "Bacon, Bagels and the Bishop"
2004–2006	No Angels	Beth Nicholls	Main role
2004	Pretending to be Judith	Shop Assistant	Television film
Three Ivans, Two Aunts and an Overcoat	Masha	Main role
North & South	Fanny Thornton
2005	Doctor Who	Lynda Moss	2 episodes: "Bad Wolf" / "The Parting of the Ways"
Swinging	Various roles	Main role
2006–2013, 2015, 2017–2018	EastEnders	Tanya Branning	679 episodes
2010, 2014	Loose Women	Herself	5 episodes
2011	Candy Cabs	Jackie O'Sullivan	Main role
2013	Moving On	Theresa	Episode: "The House"
2014	Trying Again	Meg	Main role
Murdoch Mysteries	Cecily McKinnon	2 episodes
2015	Ordinary Lies	Beth	Main role
The Interceptor	Lorna
2015–2016	Marley's Ghosts	Vicar
2016	The Confessions of Dorian Gray	Constance Wilde	4 episodes
2016–2017	Mount Pleasant	Jayne	Main role
2017–2021	Ackley Bridge	Mandy Carter
2017	Be Lucky	Ruth
Porters	Dr Kelly
2018–present	Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators	Luella Shakespeare
2018	Hang Ups	Clare Maynard	1 episode
2019	The Reluctant Landlord	Sarah	Episode: "Christmas Special"
2020	Queen Bee	Laura / Stella	Film
2021	Stay Close	Erin Cartwright	Main role
2022	Riptide	Alison
2023	For Her Sins	Laura Conroy
2024	The Wives	Beth Morgan
2025	Little Disasters	Dr. Elizabeth Burgess
::

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Jo Joyner

::data[format=table]

Year	Award	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref
	Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama	'Friends’ prize for acting'	The woman who walked into doors
2006	Rose d'Or	Best Female Comedy Performer	Swinging
2007	M.E.N. Theatre Awards	Best Fringe Performer	Raw
National Television Awards	Most Popular Newcomer	EastEnders
Inside Soap Awards	Best Newcomer
TV Quick and Choice Awards	Best Soap Actress
Best Newcomer
2008	Digital Spy Soap Awards	Most Popular Actress
British Soap Awards	Best Actress
Best Dramatic Performance
All About Soap Bubble Awards	Best Slap (with Lacey Turner)
Best Tearjerker
Fatal Attraction (with Rob Kazinsky)
Inside Soap Awards	Best Actress
Best Dramatic Performance
2009	All About Soap Bubble Awards	I'm A Survivor
British Soap Awards	Best Actress
TV Now Awards	Favourite Female Soap Star
2010	TV Now Awards	Favourite Soap Family
2011	Inside Soap Awards	Best Wedding
Sexiest Female
RTS North West Awards	Best Performance in a Comedy	Candy Cabs
Digital Spy Readers' Awards	Best Soap Actress	EastEnders
2012	TRIC Awards	TV Soap Personality
Digital Spy Readers' Awards	Best Female Soap Actor
All About Soap Awards	Best Actress
Best Couple (with Jake Wood)
British Soap Awards	Best Actress
Best Dramatic Performance
Best On-Screen Partnership (with Jake Wood)
TV Choice Awards	Best Soap Actress
2013	British Soap Awards	Best Dramatic Performance
2015	RTS North West Awards	Best Performance in a Single Drama or Drama Series (Female)	Ordinary Lies
Digital Spy Readers Awards	Funniest Soap Moment	Eastenders
2018	RTS Midlands Awards	Female Acting Performance	Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators
2021	TV Choice Awards	Best Actress	Ackley Bridge
::

References

References

1. Joyner, Jo. (30 May 2013). "@paulinsky Nope. Sorry Paul Wikapedia has put Tanya's birthday down?! Mine is May 24th x".
2. "When is Shakespeare and Hathaway on TV?". [[Radio Times]].
3. "11 reasons why the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is top of the class for acting". [[Wales Online]].
4. Kilkelly, Daniel. (20 May 2007). "'EastEnders' star Joyner turned down role". [[Digital Spy]].
5. (26 February 2007). "[[Richard and Judy". [[Richard & Judy]].
6. (21 March 2008). "Digital Spy Soap Awards 2008: Jo Joyner". [[Digital Spy]].
7. Kilkelly, Daniel. (12 February 2012). "2012 All About Soap Awards – full nominations list". [[Hearst Magazines]].
8. Kilkelly, Daniel. (25 March 2012). "All About Soap Awards 2012: Full winners list". [[Hearst Magazines]].
9. British Soap Awards. "Winners – British Soap Awards". Britishsoapawards.tv.
10. Kilkelly, Daniel. (22 December 2012). "'EastEnders', Corrie, 'Hollyoaks' all win in Digital Spy's 2012 poll". ([[Hearst Magazines UK]]).
11. (5 April 2011). "Carry on Candy Cabs".
12. Goodacre, Kate. (1 May 2012). "'EastEnders' Jo Joyner 'to take break from soap in 2013'". [[Hearst Magazines UK]].
13. Kilkelly, Daniel. (1 April 2013). "'EastEnders': Jo Joyner announces departure from show". [[Hearst Magazines UK]].
14. Joyner, Jo. (15 May 2013). "Twitter / dollyjoyner: That's a wrap! I am officially ...". Twitter.
15. "EastEnders star Jo Joyner reveals why she returned for a guest role in Christmas episodes". [[Digital Spy]].
16. "Meet the cast of Channel 4 school drama Ackley Bridge". [[Radio Times]].
17. Dainty, Sophie. (15 March 2019). "Where are EastEnders' Branning family now?". [[Digital Spy]].
18. (13 April 2021). ""Ackley Bridge is like a brand-new show!" says star Sunetra Sarker". [[Hearst Magazines UK]].
19. "BBC - Shakespeare & Hathaway - Private Investigators - Media Centre".
20. (3 February 2021). "EastEnders star Jo Joyner and Eddie Izzard join Netflix's new adaptation of Harlan Coben drama Stay Close". [[Digital Spy]].
21. (14 July 2022). "Former EastEnders star Jo Joyner signs up for new Channel 5 drama with Neighbours cast members". ([[Hearst Communications]]).
22. "Radio times compare Little Disasters with Big Little Lies".
23. Green, Kris. (13 July 2009). "'EastEnders' star pregnant with twins".
24. Minn, Hayley. (12 September 2020). "'I feel like the luckiest person alive!' Jo Joyner opens up on why she feels so blessed to have children after undergoing years of IVF".
25. "Biography".
26. (17 February 2007). "Nominations for the M.E.N Theatre Awards". [[Manchester Evening News]].
27. (15 October 2007). "National Television Awards". [[BBC]].
28. (31 October 2007). "National Television Awards: The winners". ITV.
29. "Welcome to the TVQuick & TVChoice Awards 2007!".
30. (20 September 2007). "Inside Soap Awards- Shortlist". Digital Spy.
31. "Digital Spy Soap Awards 2008: The Winners". [[Digital Spy]].
32. (4 May 2008). "The British Soap Awards 2008: The Winners". [[Digital Spy]].
33. (1 April 2008). "Lacey and Jo clean up in the Bubble awards". [[BBC]].
34. (19 February 2008). "All About Soap Bubble Awards". [[BBC]].
35. "British Soap Awards Nominations: Panel Shortlist".
36. (16 July 2008). "''Inside Soap'' Awards 2008 – Nominations". msntvsoapsuk.wordpress.com.
37. (31 March 2009). "EastEnders scoop up Bubbles Awards!". [[BBC]].
38. (17 February 2009). "Vote now in the Bubble Awards". [[BBC]].
39. (10 May 2009). "British Soap Awards 2009: The Winners". Digital Spy.
40. "Favourite Female Soap Star 2009".
41. "Favourite Soap Family 2010".
42. (11 July 2011). "In Full: ''Inside Soap'' Awards 2011 Nominees". Digital Spy.
43. (28 September 2011). "RTS 2011 Shortlist". rts.org.uk.
44. (21 December 2011). "Digital Spy readers' awards 2011: The winners!". Digital Spy.
45. "TRIC 2011 Awards Nominees". tric.org.uk.
46. Kilkelly. (25 March 2012). "'EastEnders', Corrie, 'Hollyoaks' all win in Digital Spy's 2012 poll".
47. (25 March 2012). "All About Soap Awards 2012: Full winners list". Digital Spy.
48. (15 February 2012). "Nine 'Enders nominations for All About Soap Awards". [[BBC]].
49. (29 April 2012). "British Soap Awards 2012 – winners in full". Digital Spy.
50. (27 February 2012). "British Soap Awards 2012 voting opens, nominations revealed".
51. (3 July 2012). "TV Choice Awards 2012 – soap nominees in full". Digital Spy.
52. Kilkelly, Daniel. (11 March 2013). "British Soap Awards 2013 voting opens, nominations revealed - Soaps News - Digital Spy".
53. Kilkelly, Daniel. (22 April 2013). "'Coronation Street' leads British Soap Awards shortlist".
54. (17 November 2015). "RTS North West Award Winners Unveiled". 4RFV.
55. Eames, Tom. (25 December 2015). "Your Soap Winners of 2015: Emmerdale, EastEnders whodunit and Hollyoaks classroom clinch". [[Digital Spy]].
56. (29 November 2018). "RTS MIDLANDS AWARDS 2018". [[Royal Television Society.
57. "Welcome to the 25th TV Choice Awards!".

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