Katherine Kelly

Sophia Craven in ‘’The Crow Girl’’ (2025).

• Name — Katherine Kelly • Birth Name — Katherine Kelly • Born — 19 November 1979 • Birthplace — Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England • Education — Royal Academy of Dramatic Art • Occupation — Actress • Years Active — 2001–present • Partner — Tony Pitts • Children — 2 • Awards — Full list

Katherine Kelly was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. She grew up in both South Yorkshire and the United States. She has strong links with The Lamproom Theatre in Barnsley, established in 1998 by her father John (who is originally from Castleisland, County Kerry, Ireland), and has regularly supported fund-raising events held there. She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art with fellow students Meredith MacNeill, Leo Bill, Elliot Cowan, Laurence Fox, and actor and novelist Anna Hope, graduating in 2001.

Kelly was a regular in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street as Becky McDonald from 2006 until 2012. • Illustration — Kelly at the Stoneleigh Park Country Festival in 2008 Kelly appeared on the 2010 album, Coronation Street: Rogues, Angels, Heroes & Fools. Kelly, in character as Becky McDonald, sang the lead single from the album, If It's Too Late, which was remixed by former PWL and Stock Aitken Waterman "Mixmaster", Pete Hammond. After she left Coronation Street, she was cast as Miss Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer at the National Theatre from 24 January 2012. Kelly's first television role after leaving Coronation Street was in the 90-minute BBC Four biopic The Best Possible Taste, in which she played Lee Middleton, wife of Kenny Everett. In early 2013 she played socialite Lady Loxley in the ITV drama series Mr Selfridge, later signing on to appear in the second series of the show in 2014 and its final series in 2016. Later in 2013 she joined the lead cast of The Field of Blood, based on the novel by Denise Mina. Kelly played Maloney, an ambitious woman in the "ferociously male-dominated world of 1980s newspaper journalism". Also that year she starred in the three part ITV thriller, The Guilty, as Claire Reid, mother to a missing five-year-old child. • Illustration — Kelly attending the BAFTAs in 2009, alongside co-star Antony Cotton In 2014 she played Alaura Kingsley in the critically acclaimed production of City of Angels at the Donmar Warehouse directed by Josie Rourke. In August 2015 it was announced that Kelly would join the cast of Happy Valley, which aired the following year. In the series Kelly portrays DI Jodie Shackleton, a part that was written for her by series creator Sally Wainwright. Kelly enjoyed the opportunity to play a character in her native Yorkshire accent, and prepared for the role by shadowing police detectives in Halifax. Also in 2016 she appeared as the Permanent Secretary in four episodes of The Night Manager. On 4 April 2016, it was announced that Kelly would appear in the BBC Three Doctor Who spin-off series Class written by Patrick Ness, airing from October 2016. In October 2016, Kelly appeared as Hannah in ITV drama Him. In 2018, Kelly made her first film appearance since 2009 in Dirty God, playing Lisa, the protagonist Jade's mother. The following year, Kelly appeared in the feature film Official Secrets, based on the real life events of intelligence whistleblower Katharine Gun (portrayed by Keira Knightley). In the film, Kelly plays Jacqueline Jones, an MI6 agent who tacitly confirms the legitimacy of Gun's leaked memo to a journalist contact at The Observer. The same year, Kelly appeared in an episode of Flack, as Brooke. Later that year, Kelly portrayed Leah in four part ITV drama Cheat. In September 2019, Netflix released its mini-series Criminal: UK with Kelly in the role of the lead investigator. Kelly joined the cast of Liar for its second series in 2020, playing Detective Karen Renton. A character bio for Renton describes her as an “unconventional” officer, whose “bluntness” often ruffles feathers. Of her role, Kelly stated “It's my belief that Karen Renton is that way because she has to be that, and if she wasn't that, I wouldn't believe that out of all the detectives that they could send from the Met to solve this front-page news story, why would they pick her if she wasn't excellent at her job?" she said. “I think she would have been chosen because she can act very quickly and very swiftly, and she has great instincts." In September 2023, Kelly appeared as Emily Jackson in the ITV1 drama series The Long Shadow.

Kelly married Ryan Clark in 2013 in Las Vegas. They have two daughters. In August 2020, the couple announced their separation when Kelly relocated from north London to her home town of Barnsley. In November 2022, Kelly was reported to be dating actor Tony Pitts.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2003 — Last of the Summer Wine — Sharlene — Episode: "Ancient Eastern Wisdom — An Introduction" • Silent Witness — Tina Allen — Episode: "Running on Empty (Part One and Part Two)” • 2004 — The Royal — Tina Binnington — Episode: "Holding on Tight" • 2005 — Bodies — Sally Campbell — 1 episode • 2006 — No Angels — Annie — 1 episode • 2006–2012 — Coronation Street — Becky McDonald — Guest character (2006); Main cast regular (2006–2012; 704 episodes) British Soap Award for Best Actress (2009) British Soap Award for Best Exit (2012) National Television Award for Best Serial Drama Performance (2012) • 2006 — Leerdammer — Herself — Advert • 2007 — Life on Mars — Auntie Heather — 1 episode • New Street Law — Rebecca — 1 episode • The Visit — Julie — 1 episode • 2012 — The Best Possible Taste — Lee Middleton — Biopic • 2013–2014, 2016 — Mr Selfridge — Mae, Lady Loxley — 30 episodes • 2013 — The Field of Blood — Maloney — 2 episodes • The Last Witch — Alice Lister — Television film • The Guilty — Claire Reid — 3 episodes • 2015 — The Sound of Music Live — Baroness Elsa Schraeder — UK version of The Sound of Music Live! • 2016 — Happy Valley — DI Jodie Shackleton — Series regular; 6 episodes • The Night Manager — The Permanent Secretary — 3 episodes • HIM — Hannah — 3 episodes • Class — Miss Andrea Quill — Main role; 8 episodes • 2017–2018 — Strike Back — Jane Lowry — 9 episodes • 2018–2019 — Murdertown — Presenter — 13 episodes • 2019 — Flack — Brooke Love-Wells — 1 episode • Cheat — Leah Dale — Main role; 4 episodes • 2019–2022 — Gentleman Jack — Elizabeth Sutherland — 7 episodes • 2019–2020 — Criminal: UK — DCI Natalie Hobbs — Main role; 7 episodes • 2020 — Liar — DI Karen Renton — 6 episodes • 2021 — Innocent — Sally Wright — Main role; 4 episodes • 2022 — Bloods — George — Main role; 10 episodes • 2023 — Black Ops — Kirsty — 2 episodes • The Long Shadow — Emily Jackson — 1 episode • Ruby Speaking — Vicki — Main role; 6 episodes • 2024 — Mr Bates vs The Post Office — Angela van Den Bogerd — 3 episodes • Inside No. 9 — Lynne — Episode: "Ctrl Alt Esc" • Protection — DCI Hannah Wheatley — Main role; 6 episodes • 2025 — The Crow Girl — Sophia Craven — Main role; 6 episodes • In Flight — Jo Conran — Main role; 6 episodes • How Are You? It's Alan (Partridge) — Katrina — Main role • The Hack — Sheridan McCoid • 2026 — Number 10 — Frances Telford — Main role

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2018 — Class — Miss Quill — 2 episodes