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Actor

1962-11-26 · Cardif, Wales · Female

16 series in the catalog

Suzanne Packer (born Suzanne Jackson on 26 November 1962) is a Welsh actress, known for playing the role of Tess Bateman in the BBC medical drama Casualty from September 2003 to August 2015. She later returned to the series as a guest for the 30th-anniversary episodes in 2016. Since departing from Casualty, she has appeared in various television series including Bang, In My Skin and The Pembrokeshire Murders.

Early life

Packer is the daughter of Jamaican immigrant parents who moved to Abergavenny, Wales, where her mother Angela worked as a nurse. She is the older sister of the hurdler Colin Jackson.

While studying at Llanedeyrn High School in Cardiff, she showed an interest in acting, playing the lead in school plays including Oklahoma and The King and I. Packer attended the National Youth Theatre of Wales before earning a BA in theatre and drama at the University of Warwick. She then trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Prior to acting professionally, Packer worked as a drama supply teacher, having earned a PGCE. After working at one particular school for three months, she was offered a permanent contract, which she declined due to wanting to pursue acting full-time.

Career

Her first major role was as Josie Johnson in Brookside from 1990-1993. In 1991, Packer co-founded BiBi Crew, Britain's first comedy theatre troupe made up entirely of Black women. After she gained an audition for the BBC drama Casualty and was cast as Tess Bateman, she began appearing onscreen from September 2003. On 22 August 2015, she announced her decision to leave Casualty after playing the character of Tess for over 11 years.

Packer appeared with her brother Colin on the first series of Pointless Celebrities on 6 July 2011. They were eliminated in the first round. In 2018, she began portraying the role of Nurse Digby in the BBC Three series In My Skin. On 4 November 2018, Packer played Eve Cicero in the Doctor Who episode, "The Tsuranga Conundrum". In 2021, she starred in the ITV miniseries The Pembrokeshire Murders.

In 2021, Packer co-edited with Suzzette Llewellyn the essay collection titled, Still Breathing: 100 Black Voices on Racism - 100 Ways to Change the Narrative, published by Harper Collins. In addition to the editors' own essays, the book also included contributions from other prominent Black British individuals in a variety of different fields, including MPs David Lammy and Dawn Butler, actor Sharon D. Clarke, and singer Beverley Knight. In 2025, Packer and Llywellyn launched their podcast Verandah Talk, where they reconnect with contributors of their book and continue the discussions of racism in Britain.

Personal life

Packer met American actor Jesse Newman while on a tour in Europe, and the pair later married, and had a son together. The pair divorced.

Filmography

Packer featured in the 2024 documentary Colin Jackson: Resilience, talking about her upbringing with her brother and his athletics career.

Bibliography

Still Breathing: 100 Black Voices on Racism – 100 Ways to Change the Narrative (co-edited with Suzette Llywellyn). London: HarperCollins, 2021.