Angela Griffin

It’s hard to imagine a time when Angela Griffin wasn’t a fixture on our TV screens. It was as a thirteen-year-old that she made her first appearance in Emmerdale, but it was in rival soap opera Coronation Street that she first endeared herself to the British viewing public. For most of the 1990s, she was better known as hairdresser Fiona Middleton, a role which won her Best Newcomer at the British Soap Awards. Leaving at the height of her success, Griffin has gone on to become one of Britain’s great drama actors.

Born and raised in Leeds, West Yorkshire, Griffin has appeared in hit series such as Cutting It, Lewis, Waterloo Road, Holby City, Midsomer Murders, and Brief Encounters. She also voices the character of Amy the Vet in the long-running children’s show, Postman Pat. In addition to acting, she has appeared as a presenter on a number of programmes, including The One Show and National Lottery Live. Sky One also gave her her own daytime show, Angela and Friends, which ran for over 140 episodes.

As well as in front of the camera, Griffin has also taken roles in the theatre. For one production, Stepping Out, she learned to tap dance from scratch. Griffin has extended her reach beyond the UK as well. In 2018, she took the lead role in Canadian detective drama, The Detail. She also stars in Harlots, a historical drama made for Hulu. It’s the fate of some actors who become established in soap operas that they become typecast. It’s a fate that has certainly not befallen Angela Griffin.