Sheridan Smith (born 25 June 1981) is an English actress and singer. She came to prominence after playing a variety of characters in sitcoms, including The Royle Family (1999–2000), Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps (2001–2009), Gavin & Stacey (2008–2010, 2024), and Benidorm (2009). Her accolades include two Olivier Awards, a British Academy Television Award, and a National Television Award, as well as two International Emmy Award nominations. She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to drama.
With a career spanning over two decades, Smith has appeared in the drama series Jonathan Creek (2009–2013) and in a succession of television dramas, such as Mrs Biggs (2012), Cilla (2014), The C Word (2015), Black Work (2015), The Moorside (2017), Cleaning Up (2019), and Four Lives (2022). Her film credits include Tower Block (2012), Quartet (2012), The Harry Hill Movie (2013), The Huntsman: Winter's War (2016), The Railway Children Return (2022).
Smith has appeared in the West End musicals Little Shop of Horrors (2007), Legally Blonde (2010), Funny Girl (2016), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (2019), Shirley Valentine (2023), and Opening Night (2024). In 2017, she released her debut studio album, Sheridan, which debuted at number nine on the Albums Chart. Her second studio album, A Northern Soul, was released the following year.
Early life and education
Sheridan Smith was born on 25 June 1981 in Epworth, Lincolnshire, the only daughter of Marylin Smith and the late Colin Smith (1936–2016). Sheridan had an older brother Julian, who died of cancer at the age of 18. Her grandfather was a banjo player in Sheffield, Yorkshire and later played as a trio with his daughters.
Smith studied dance at the Joyce Mason School of Dancing from an early age. She later attended South Axholme Comprehensive School; she was a member of the National Youth Music Theatre from 1995 to 2001, performing a number of understudy roles in productions such as Bugsy Malone, Pendragon, and Into the Woods. She completed her further education at John Leggott College in Scunthorpe.
Film and television
From 1999 to 2000, Smith played Emma in The Royle Family. She played Janet Keogh in the long-running series Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps from 2001 until 2009.
In 2000 Smith played the role of Lyn Marsh in the Heartbeat episode "A Shot in the Dark". In 2000 she also played a wayward teenager in "Where the Heart is". This was followed in February 2003, when she appeared in Heartbeat's sister programme The Royal, where she played the part of Francesca Wheeler, a teenage girl who was suffering from leukaemia in the episode "Immediate Care."
In 2004, she made a one-episode appearance in Mile High as Suzy, an airport cleaner who impersonates a flight attendant in an attempt to become cabin crew. She also featured in The Comic Strip's 2005 episode "Sex Actually" as Angie.
Smith played Cleo Martin in Love Soup (2005) and starred as Michelle, a hypocritical nutritionist, in three series of the sitcom Grownups (2006–2009). She has also appeared on The Lenny Henry Show as M.E. Westmocott, a role spoofing the various medical examiners on CSI. In the 2009 Two Pints of Lager Comic Relief special, which crossed over with Grownups, she played her characters from both series.
Smith has also appeared in a number of other shows including the BBC's Eyes Down, in which she played Sandy, and smaller parts in shows such as The Bill and Fat Friends. She featured as Rudi, Smithy's little sister, in the second and third series of the BBC Three sitcom Gavin & Stacey. She guest starred in the Christmas 2008 episode of Lark Rise to Candleford. Since 2009, she has played Joey Ross in special seasonal episodes of Jonathan Creek, namely "The Grinning Man" (2009), "The Judas Tree" (2010), and "The Clue of the Savant's Thumb" (2013). She played Brandy in the third series of Benidorm.
During 2010, Smith acted as a mentor to the contestants of the BBC show Over the Rainbow. Sky Arts' Chekhov Comedy Shorts also featured Smith in 2010 when she starred as Natasha in The Proposal. She appeared in the 2011 film Hysteria, about the invention of the vibrator. For the factual hospital series Bizarre ER, she took over narration duties from Freema Agyeman. She appeared in the 2012 ITV film adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's novel The Scapegoat.
In September 2012 Smith played the title role in Mrs Biggs, a five-part series on ITV. In 2013, she appeared in the Channel 4 series Dates. In January 2014, she starred in the two-part BBC drama The 7.39. In March 2014, she appeared in the ITV crime drama The Widower as the first wife of serial killer Malcolm Webster. Later that year, she featured in the series Who Do You Think You Are? and played Cilla Black in the three-part ITV drama series Cilla.
In 2015 she starred as cancer patient Lisa Lynch in the one-off BBC drama The C Word and as policewoman Jo Gillespie in the three-part ITV drama Black Work, which was nominated for a National Television Award in 2016.
Smith narrated the reality series Bear Grylls: Mission Survive from 2015. The show was nominated for a National Television Award in 2016 but was cancelled after two series. In February 2017, she starred in The Moorside, a BBC drama based on the kidnapping of Shannon Matthews in 2008.
She appeared in her own ITV music special in November 2017. Titled Sheridan, the one-off special presented by Alexander Armstrong saw her performing some of the songs from her album, and talking about her life.
In December 2017, Smith starred as evil step-mum Sheila in the television adaptation of David Walliams' children's book, Ratburger. It was broadcast on Sky One. In January 2019, she appeared as Sam in ITV drama series Cleaning Up.
In January 2021, Smith appeared as a guest judge in the second series of the BBC drag competition series, RuPaul's Drag Race UK. Later in 2021, she presented the BBC dog-grooming competition Pooch Perfect.
In January 2022, Smith starred as Jenna in The Teacher, a drama series about a drinking, smoking, hard-living teacher who is accused of sleeping with one of her students. Critics generally were positive of Smith, with one reviewer for The Independent praising her performance as "so much flair and vulnerability" and rating the show 4/5 stars. In June 2022, Smith narrated all episodes of Channel 5 docusoap The Cruise. In 2023, Smith began filming The Castaways for Paramount+.
In 2025, Smith starred in ITV's I Fought the Law, a four-part crime series based on Ann Ming's book For the Love of Julie, detailing a long campaign to overturn the British double jeopardy law following the murder of her daughter.
Theatre
Smith's theatre credits include the musical Into the Woods at London's Donmar Warehouse, and Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park. She also played Audrey in the stage production of Little Shop of Horrors at the Menier Chocolate Factory, London, from November 2006, with the production then transferring to the Duke of York's Theatre in March 2007. Following a successful run the production moved again at the end of June 2007 to the New Ambassadors Theatre, where its played until September 2007. Smith was nominated for the 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her performance in the show.
Smith appeared as Vanessa in Tinderbox: a Revenge Comedy by Lucy Kirkwood at the Bush Theatre, Shepherd's Bush, in April 2008. Smith originated the role of Elle Woods in the musical version of Legally Blonde in its transfer from Broadway to London's West End in December 2009. Ex-Blue boyband member Duncan James played opposite Smith until June 2010, when he was replaced by Richard Fleeshman. Other cast members Smith has performed alongside include Aoife Mulholland as Brooke, Denise Van Outen as Paulette…