Ronni Ancona

She is a co-director, alongside Sally Phillips and Nick Hamson, of the production company Captain Dolly. In 2026, she played the role of Bea Pollard in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders.

• Birth Name — Veronica Jane Ancona • Born — 4 July 1968 • Birthplace — Louth, Lincolnshire, England • Occupation — * Actress • impressionist • comedian • Children — 2 • Education — Saint Martin's School of Art (BA) University College London (MA)

Ancona was born in Louth, Lincolnshire, but moved to Scotland when she was a few days old and was raised in Troon. She is of Italian Jewish descent. Her father Derek Ancona was a commander in the Royal Navy and her mother Jane (née Dodworth) was an artist who painted the sets at the Gaiety Theatre in Ayr and the Theatre Royal in Glasgow. Ancona is the youngest of three children with two older brothers, one of whom retired as a Royal Navy rear admiral. In the BBC television programme Comedy Map of Britain she returned to her old school, Marr College in Troon, and talked about her earliest comedy performing experience as part of an improvisation group called Pots People. She attended the University of Kent at Canterbury to study film and then changed to do a degree in theatre and TV design at Saint Martin's School of Art. At the age of 19, while she was studying at St Martin's College, the BBC's Blue Peter reported on a play about Brecht at the Riverside Studios in which she was involved as a designer and performer. Her appearance was later covered on the BBC show Before They Were Famous. She then attended the Institute of Education, University College London and qualified as a teacher in design and technology. While working as a teacher, she started a comedy career on the live circuit. She won the Time Out Hackney Empire New Act of the Year in 1993.

Ancona's first Edinburgh Festival appearance was in 1992, during which she performed in two shows: The Inexplicable World of Lionel Nimrod with Stewart Lee and Richard Herring, and a stand-up show with Alistair McGowan. Her first theatre role was in Miss Conceptions in 1996, a comedy play she co-wrote with Alan Francis, directed by Anthony Nielson. Ancona worked in radio and appeared on television shows such as Fist of Fun, as well as performing stand-up comedy. She co-wrote and performed in the shows Comedy Nation, Pulp Video, and The Sketch Show alongside Lee Mack. Her first feature film role was in 1999 when she appeared in The Debt Collector alongside Billy Connolly. In 2000, she teamed up with Alistair McGowan, with whom she had previously worked on The Staggering Stories of Ferdinand De Bargos and Standing Room Only, to create The Big Impression. The show was one of BBC One's top-rating comedy programmes during its run between 1999 and 2003, and won both a Variety Club Comedy Award and a BAFTA. In 2003, she won "Best Actress" at the British Comedy Awards. From 1996 to 2000, she also voiced Pennyghent on the CITV children's comedy series "Roger and the Rottentrolls". In 2003, she starred in the BBC One historical drama The Key. In 2004, Ancona was cast in Singin' in the Rain, the first production with Adam Cooper. She played Lina Lamont, the silent-movie starlet, in the Sadler's Wells production. The same year, she played Pat Connelly in The Calcium Kid. In 2005, she played Barbara in Stephen Poliakoff's Gideon's Daughter on BBC One. She also appeared in Stella Street: The Movie, playing numerous female celebrities including Madonna and Victoria Beckham. In 2005, Ancona played Anita in Michael Winterbottom's A Cock and Bull Story. She then played the gold-digging temptress Belline in Richard Bean's 2005 production of Molière's The Hypochondriac, alongside Carey Mulligan and Henry Goodman. The play received favourable reviews, with Michael Billington for The Guardian giving it four stars out of five and describing it as a "hilarious new version".

Ancona has appeared several times on the BBC celebrity panel show QI. In November 2006, she was a guest presenter on Have I Got News for You. She also appeared on the Channel 4 comedy show TV Heaven, Telly Hell discussing her preferences in television shows. She had a cameo role in the 2006 fantasy romantic comedy Penelope. In 2007, her three-episode comedy sketch series Ronni Ancona & Co was broadcast on BBC One. In 2009, A Matter of Life and Death: How to Wean a Man Off Football, by Ancona and Alistair McGowan, was published by Faber & Faber. She appeared as the mother of Katie and Emily Fitch in the third (2009) and fourth (2010) series of Skins. In 2009, she had a leading role in the BBC comedy drama Hope Springs. As part of the BBC's The Big Read, she promoted The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In April 2010, she appeared on A Comedy Roast, celebrating Sharon Osbourne's life. She appeared on the 2010 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special where she was paired with Anton Du Beke. Ancona also took part in Comic Relief's Desert Trek 2011 alongside Craig David, Olly Murs, Dermot O'Leary, Scott Mills and Lorraine Kelly. In 2012, she appeared in Last Tango in Halifax. In 2013, she was cast as Mrs Spencer in The Devil Went Down to Islington, a horror film following two hapless Londoners who sell their souls to Satan. She played Donna, Rob Brydon's agent, in the 2014 film The Trip to Italy. Ancona returned to the Almeida to perform in Little Revolution, set during and after the 2011 London riots, alongside Lucian Msamati and Imogen Stubbs. In January 2015, she was a guest on Room 101. In June 2015, she was cast to play Paula in the musical adaptation of Bend It Like Beckham at the West End's Phoenix Theatre. However, she had to pull out of the play for personal reasons before the premier. Later that year she appeared alongside Justin Fletcher in The Tale of Mr Tumble during the Manchester International Festival. In 2016, she played Mrs Fletcher, the manager of a local care home, in the seventh series of the Scottish comedy Still Game. Later that year she made a guest appearance in an episode of the BBC television series Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, partnering with antiques expert James Braxton. In April 2017, she appeared as a guest on ITV's The Nightly Show, presented by Jason Manford, in which they each performed impersonations of famous people which the other had to identify. In 2018, Ancona had a small role in the US comedy film Show Dogs and starred in Surviving Christmas with the Relatives. In 2019, she performed in the Edinburgh Fringe show Just Checking In, which she co-wrote with Kim Fuller and fellow cast member Lewis MacLeod. In December 2020, she appeared as a contestant on the Christmas special of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Celebrity Special. She won Pointless Celebrities in January 2021 with Jan Ravens. In January 2026, Ancona joined the cast of the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Bea Pollard. Her character was introduced as an old classmate of Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), and subsequently befriends Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton). In the same year she appeared in Melt It! The Film of the Iceman alongside Stewart Lee, Jo Brand and The Iceman.

Ancona had a seven-year relationship with Alistair McGowan, which ended shortly before they started working together professionally. Ancona is married to Gerard Hall, a consultant rheumatologist with whom she has two daughters. They live in west London. Ancona suffered a stillbirth in 2007. Ancona is an ambassador to the Environmental Investigation Agency, Marie Curie and Sightsavers.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1994 — Ben Elton: The Man from Auntie — Consumer Watch presenter / Tomorrow's World presenter — Series 2, Episode 3 • The Imaginatively Titled Punt and Dennis Show — Series 1, Episodes 4–6 • 1995 — What's Up Doc? — Leticia Geek — Series 3, Episode 25 • The Geeks — Series 1, Episode 1: "The Money, Money, Money" & Episode 6: "Our House" • Scratchy & Co. — Various — CITV series • Pulp Video — Various characters — BBC Two series • The Staggering Stories of Ferdinand de Bargos — Various (voice) — Series 5, Episodes 1–6 • 1995–1996 — Fist of Fun — Sarah / Tina Hartiman / Various — Series 1, Episodes 3 & 4; Series 2, Episodes 1, 3 & 4 • 1996 — Win, Lose or Draw! — Herself – Contestant — Series 7, Episodes 21–25 • 1997 — Klinik! — Various characters (voice) — Channel 4 series • 1997–2000 — Roger and the Rottentrolls — Rottentroll Voices (voice) — Series 2–4, 26 episodes • 1998 — Comedy Nation — Various roles — BBC Two series • 1999 — Mark Lamarr Leaving the 20th Century — Series 1, Episode 2 • The Waiting Time — RMP Colonel — Television film • 1999–2003 — The Big Impression — Various characters — Series 1–4 & Christmas Specials, 30 episodes • 2000 — Holby City — Anna Griffiths — Series 3, Episode 7: "The Trouble with the Truth" • 2001 — Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible — Countess Kronsteen — Series 1, Episode 1: "Lesbian Vampire Lovers of Lust" • Combat Sheep — Peaches (voice) — Television film • The Sketch Show — Various characters — Series 1, Episodes 1–8 • 2002 — Sport Relief — Herself / Victoria Beckham — Television Special • 2003 — Comic Relief 2003: The Big Hair Do — Various characters — Television Special • The Key — Maggie — Series 1, Episodes 1–3 • 2004 — Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? — Herself – Contestant — Series 16, Episodes 14/15: "Celebrity Special" • 2005 — Monkey Trousers — Various characters — Series 1, Episodes 1–5 • Gideon's Daughter — Barbara — Television film • Comic Relief: Red Nose Night Live '05 — Catherine Zeta-Jones / Courtney Cox Arquette / Renée Zellweger — Television Special • 2006 — Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive — Herself — Series 1, Episode 4 • Have I Got News For You — Herself – Guest Presenter — Series 32, Episode 6 • The Secret Policeman's Ball: The Ball in the Hall — Herself — Television film • 2006–2017 — QI — Herself – Panellist — Series 4, 6–9, 12 & 14, 7 episodes • 2007 — Hotel Babylon — Theresa Evan — Series 2, Episode 1 • Agatha Christie's Marple — Amanda Dalrymple — Series 3, Episode 4: "Nemesis" • Comic Relief 2007: The Big One — Various characters — Television Special • Ronni Ancona & Co. — Various roles — Series 1, Episodes 1–3 • 2008 — Comedy Classics — Narrator (voice) — Series 1, Episodes 1–6 • 2009 — Hope Springs — Ann Marie Cairncross — Series 1, Episodes 1–8 • CBeebies Bedtime Stories — Herself – Storyteller — Series 1, Episodes 72–76 • Would I Lie to You? — Herself – Panellist — Series 3, Episode 7 • 2009–2010 — Skins — Jenna Fitch — Series 3, Episode 9; Series 4, Episodes 2 & 4 • 2010 — Strictly Come Dancing — Herself – Contestant — Series 8, Episode 27: "Christmas Special" • 2011 — Midsomer Murders — Kitty Pottinger — Series 13, Episode 8: "Fit for Murder" • The Comic Strip Presents... — Barbara Windsor — Series 9, Episode 1: "The Hunt for Tony Blair" • Pet Squad — Various (voices) — Series 1, 52 episodes • Shooting Stars — Herself – Panellist — Series 8, Episode 5 • 2012 — Little Crackers — Ex-Wife — Series 3, Episode 3: "Tommy Tiernan's Little Cracker: Howler" • 2012–2020 — Last Tango in Halifax — Judith — Series 1, 2, 4 & 5, 15 episodes • 2014 — The Trip — Donna — Series 2, Episodes 2–6 • Pointless Celebrities — Herself – Contestant — Series 6, Episode 12: "Comedy Performers" & Episode 30: "Comedians" • Portrait Artist of the Year — Herself – Sitter — Series 2, Episode 2: "Julian Fellowes, Ronni Ancona, and Helen Kennedy" • 2015 — Father Brown — Madame Chania — Series 3, Episode 8: "The Lair of the Libertines" • CBeebies Presents: The Tale of Mr Tumble — Miss Eerie — Television film • Citizen Khan — Sandra — Series 4 Episode 4: "Chicken Shop" • Room 101 — Herself – Guest — Series 15, Episode 1: "Tim Vine, Len Goodman, Ronni Ancona" • 2016 — Stella — Selina Child — Series 5, Episode 10 • Doctors — Alicia Largo — Series 18, Episode 10: "In Questa Reggia" • Still Game — Mrs. Fletcher — Series 7, Episode 6: "Down and Out" • Pointless Celebrities — Herself – Contestant — Series 10, Episode 6: "Impressionists" • 2017 — Where in the World — Narrator (voice) — CBeebies documentary series. Series 1, Episodes 1–20 • 2018 — The Week That Wasn't — Sky One series • Tourist Trap — Marie — Series 1, Episode 5 • 2020 — Celebrity Chase — Herself – Contestant — Series 10, Episode 5 • Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? — Series 35, Episodes 7: "Christmas Special" • Pointless Celebrities — Series 13, Episode 24: "Impressionists" • 2021 — Richard Osman's House of Games — Series 4, Episodes 86–90 • 2022 — The Hit List — Series 5, Episode 10: "Christmas Special" • Portrait Artist of the Year — Series 10, Episode: "Celebrity Special" • Friday Night Live — Olivia Colman — Television Special • 2024 — Death in Paradise — Lexi 'Alexandria' Reece — Series 13, Episode 6 • 2025 — Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators — Olivia Bluebell — Series 5, Episode 3: "Destruction, Blood and Massacre" • 2026 — EastEnders — Bea Pollard — Regular role

• Title — Channel • Life, Death & Sex with Mike & Sue — Radio 4 • The Alan Davies Show — Radio 4 • Weekending — Radio 4 • The Museum of Curiosity — Radio 4 • Mum's on the Run — Radio 4 • Shed Town — Radio 4 • The Game's Up — Radio 5 • Loose Ends — Radio 4 • Wild Things — Radio 4 • Hal — Radio 4 • And This is Them — Radio 2 • Griff Rhys Jones Show — Radio 4 • Gaby's Talking Pictures — Radio 4

• Year — Title — Role — Venue • 1996 — Miss Conceptions — Edinburgh Festival • 2004 — Singin' in the Rain — Lina Lamont — Sadler's Wells Theatre, London • 2005 — The Hypochondriac — Belline — Almeida Theatre, London • 2014 — Little Revolution — Jane / various — Almeida Theatre • 2015 — The Tale of Mr Tumble — Unsmiling Principle — Manchester Opera House • 2016 — Carry On Chilcot — Duke of Wales Theatre, London • 2019 — Just Checking In — Edinburgh Fringe

• Title • Posh & Becks' Big Impression: Behind the Scenes & Extra Bits