Siobhan Margaret Finneran is an English television and film actress. She made her screen debut in the 1987 independent film Rita, Sue and Bob Too, and subsequently worked consistently in television drama including roles in Coronation Street (1989–1990), Clocking Off (2000–2002) and The Amazing Mrs Pritchard (2006). In 2005, Finneran originated the lead female role in the stage play On the Shore of the Wide World and was awarded the Manchester Evening News Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Also a comedy performer, Finneran appeared as Janice Garvey, a leading character in the first seven series of ITV sitcom Benidorm (2007–2015). Later television roles include portraying a lawyer in the mini-series Unforgiven (2009), an embittered servant in the first three series of the costume drama Downton Abbey (2010–2012) and a recovering addict in Happy Valley (2014–2023), for which she was nominated for the 2017 British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actress. Later film credits include Mrs Swift in the 2013 film release The Selfish Giant, which earned her a British Independent Film Award nomination. Finneran is also a prolific television documentary narrator. Finneran was born in Oldham, Greater Manchester, then in Lancashire, to Irish parents. She moved with her family to Saddleworth as a young child, and has lived in the area ever since. During childhood Finneran was always drawn to the performing arts and was a fan of the celebrated English comedian Eric Morecambe, recalling that "as a little girl I wanted to be Eric Morecambe. Not to be like him but to actually be him". She completed a theatre studies course. In 2023, Finneran became patron for Manchester based charity Contact Hostel, an organisation that provides support and accommodation for teenage girls facing homelessness.

Filmography

• 2026Chatlines
• 2026Crackula
• Unchosen — Mrs Phillips
• 2025The Damned — Helga
• 2024Huggo — Julia
• Protection — DI Liz Nyles
• 2023Rapture
• The Reckoning — Beryl Hullighan
• Time — Marie-Louise O'Dell
• Alma's Not Normal — Lin
• The Other One — Marilyn
• The Stranger — DS Johanna Griffin
• A Confession — Elaine Pickford
• Forensics: The Real CSI — Narrator
• 2019Pond Life — Kath Edlington
• The Widow — Sally Newell
• 2018James Bulger: The New Revelations — Narrator
• Snatches: Moments from Women's Lives — Jen
• 2017Apostasy — Ivanna
• 2017Having a Ball: The Making of Rita, Sue and Bob Too
• The Loch — DCI Lauren Quigley
• The Moorside — DC Christine Freeman
• 2016Broadcast Signal Intrusion — Jane
• Midwinter of the Spirit — Angela Purefoy
• 2014Bullseyes and Beer: When Darts Hit Britain — Narrator
• Happy Valley — Clare Cartwright
• Inside No. 9 — Edith
• 2014Nobody from Nowhere — Elizabeth Traven
• 2013The Selfish Giant — Mrs. Swift
• The Syndicate — Mandy Atkinson
• Death in Paradise — Fleur Edwards
• Downton Abbey — Sarah O'Brien
• 2009Coronation Street: Romanian Holiday — Verity
• Unforgiven — Izzie Ingram
• Apparitions — Sister Ruth
• 2008Boy A — Kelly
• Benidorm — Janice Garvey
• Comedy Showcase — Shirley
• Johnny and the Bomb — Mrs. Bushell
• The Amazing Mrs Pritchard — Beverley Clarke
• The Street — Kim
• Doctor Who — Becka Savage
• Conviction — Gail Cleary
• Passer By — Helen Keyes
• Blue Murder — Anita Burgess
• The Royal — Rita Hogg
• Blood Strangers — WPC Melanie Whitaker
• 2002Harold Shipman: Doctor Death — Kathleen Adanski
• Sparkhouse — Sue Bolton
• 2002The King and Us — Jenny
• Wire in the Blood — DI Jan Shields
• Bob & Rose — Marina Marquess
• Clocking Off — Julie O'Neill
• Always and Everyone — Karen Boyd
• City Central — Carol Bell
• Cold Feet — Nikki Kirkbright
• The Cops — Brenda Walsh
• Where the Heart Is — Carol Bevan
• Dalziel and Pascoe — Susie Ferdinand
• Hetty Wainthropp Investigates — Peggy Rainford
• Out of the Blue — Fran Paiton
• Resort to Murder — Lena
• Peak Practice — Caroline Royal
• Heartbeat — Janet, Tax Inspector, Gloria Brown
• Josie — Actress
• The Sharp End — Tina
• Motormouth — Milly Bates
• 1987Rita, Sue and Bob Too — Rita
• Casualty — Sue Stedding, Mel Riley
• The Russ Abbot Show — Various Characters
• Emmerdale — Heather Hutchinson
• Coronation Street — Josie Phillips
• The Stork — Gwenda

Appearances as themselves (7)

• Dictator: The Hitler Interviews — Self - Narrator (voice)
• 2024Inside No. 9: The Party's Over — Self
• 2021Hunting the Essex Lorry Killers — Self (Narrator)
• The Yorkshire Jobcentre — Self - Narrator
• 2018Benidorm: 10 Years on Holiday — Herself
• The Chillenden Murders — Self - Narrator (Voice)
• Timeshift — Self - Narrator (voice)