Sue Cleaver

Early life

Cleaver was born on 2 September 1963 in Barnet, Hertfordshire. She is adopted; however, she reconnected with her birth mother when she was in her twenties and discovered she had two half-sisters, one of who is the actress Kate Harbour.

Career

She studied at the Manchester Metropolitan School of Theatre, and her first television appearance was a small part in an episode of A Touch of Frost. She went on to star in the acclaimed drama series Band of Gold before landing a role in the film Girls' Night alongside Julie Walters and Brenda Blethyn.

In 1998, she played Duty Sgt. Standish in the first series of The Cops, and also played Glenda, a woman delivering baked goods in Victoria Wood's BBC comedy series dinnerladies, appearing in four episodes from 1999 until 2000. She appeared as PC Sylvia Holland in This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper, a miniseries, in 2000. She also had a small part in the Johnny Depp and Cate Blanchett film The Man Who Cried. It was after filming that role in 2000 that she was cast as Eileen Grimshaw on Coronation Street. Cleaver won praise for her portrayal of Eileen, the mother of a son, Todd, who struggles with his sexuality and comes out as gay.

Cleaver covered for Denise Robertson as the agony aunt on the ITV daytime programme This Morning until Robertson's death in 2016. Cleaver also completed three years of training to become a psychotherapist.

In 2022, Cleaver was a contestant on the twenty-second series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. She placed 9th after sixteen days in the jungle.

In 2023, Cleaver made a guest appearance on the ITV show Loose Women, and then became a regular panellist.

In 2024, Cleaver published her first book, A Work In Progress, through Bloomsbury.

Personal life

Cleaver was married to James Quinn between 1993 and 2003; the marriage produced one child. She later married Brian Owen, a lighting technician, after meeting him on the set of Coronation Street.

In March 2010, Cleaver was arrested for drink-driving and was banned from driving for seventeen months and ordered to pay a £1,000 fine.

Charity

Cleaver is patron of the charities Prevent Breast Cancer and When You Wish Upon a Star.

Filmography

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. (2019-09-13). "Coronation Street's Sue Cleaver reveals she almost died after battle with sepsis".
2. Fitzpatrick, Katie. (2019-07-27). "How Corrie legend Sue Cleaver has changed in 19 years on the soap".
3. (2020-01-15). "Coronation Street fans discover Sue Cleaver starred in soap BEFORE being cast as Eileen".
4. (6 November 2022). "How old is I'm A Celebrity's Sue Cleaver and who is her husband?".
5. (12 November 2022). "I'm a Celebrity's Sue Cleaver tells campmates she's adopted and reveals "incredible" birth mother story".
6. (3 November 2022). "Who is Sue Cleaver? I'm a Celebrity campmate and Coronation Street star".
7. "dinnerladies - S2 - Episode 1: Catering".
8. Brandwood, Neil. (2011-03-31). "Victoria Wood: The Biography". Random House.
9. "Eileen Grimshaw".
10. (20 September 2016). "Corrie's Sue Cleaver set to become a psychotherapist".
11. (25 March 2015). "Coronation Street's Sue Cleaver training to be a psychotherapist".
12. "Meet Sue Cleaver: I'm a Celebrity 2022 contestant and actress".
13. (31 August 2023). "Coronation Street's Sue Cleaver Details Recent Health Issues As She Blasts Scam Weight Loss Ad".
14. "A Work In Progress: 'I'm not past my prime, and neither are you!': Sue Cleaver: Bloomsbury Publishing".
15. (14 April 2010). "Coronation Street star Sue Cleaver banned from driving".
16. "Press | When You Wish Upon A Star | Dream Making For Sick Children". When You Wish Upon A Star.
17. "British Television Soap Awards". thecustard.tv.
18. "National Television Awards". thecustard.tv.
19. (23 April 2007). "Soap stars clean up at TV awards". [[Irish Independent]].
20. (4 September 2007). "Awards haul for Coronation Street". BBC News.
21. "The British Soap Awards 2007: The Winners". [[Digital Spy]].
22. "In full: National TV Awards 2007 winners". [[Digital Spy]].
23. Green, Kris. (21 March 2008). "Digital Spy Soap Awards 2008: The Winners". [[Digital Spy]].