| Pooky Quesnel | |
|---|---|
| Born | Joanna Quesnel[1] 1964/1965 (age 46–47)[1] Eccles, Lancashire, England |
| Occupation | Actress, screenwriter, singer |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
Joanna Quesnel, known professionally as Pooky Quesnel, is an English actress, screenwriter and singer.
Contents |
Quesnel was raised in Eccles, Lancashire, along with her six siblings.[2] She read English at Oxford University before spending a year at drama school.[3] In the 1980s she performed in Humphrey Carpenter's Vile Bodies band at the Ritz Hotel, and performed in a tribute concert to him following his death in 2005.[3][4]
In 2003 she began screenwriting, producing scripts for Doctors and Family Affairs,[2][5] appearing in the latter as Diane Short. She practices kick boxing and flamenco.[1]
She played Dr Monica Broome in the first series of Cardiac Arrest and DC Grace Harris in the first two series of Thief Takers.[1] She had a recurring role in the third series of Cold Feet as Emma Keaton and returned to medical dramas in 2006, playing Dr Christine Whelan in The Golden Hour. In 2007 she starred as Nita in the BBC One series True Dare Kiss,[2][5][6] and later that year began a recurring role in EastEnders as Rachel Branning, taking over the character from Sukie Smith. In February 2008 she played the spoken title role in a City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra production of Stravinsky's Perséphone, broadcast on BBC Radio 3.[7] In July 2008, she appeared in an episode of the ITV murder mystery series, Midsomer Murders as journalist Julie Benson,[8] and in an episode of George Gently entitled "The Burning Man", playing the character Wanda Lane. In March 2010 she appeared as Maureen in BBC One's second series of Five Days. She also played the spaceship captain in the Doctor Who' 2010 Christmas special, "A Christmas Carol".[9] In November 2010 she appeared as Christopher Eccleston's character's wife in Jimmy McGovern's Accused.[10]
| Year | Title | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The Hawk | WPC Clarke | Film debut |
| A Woman's Guide to Adultery | Francie | ||
| 1994 | Cardiac Arrest | Dr Monica Broome | 1 series, 1994 |
| Finney | Carol | ||
| 1996 | Thief Takers | DC Grace Harris | 2 series, 1996–1997 |
| 1998 | The Ambassador | Liz | 1 episode ("Nine Tenths of the Law") |
| 1999 | A Christmas Carol | Maude | |
| 2000 | Innocents | Michaela Willis | |
| The Mrs Bradley Mysteries | Delilah Hicks | 1 episode ("The Worsted Viper") | |
| Sunburn | Josie Daley | 1 episode (Series 2, Episode 7) | |
| City Central | Zora | 1 episode ("Respect") | |
| Cold Feet | Emma Keaton | 4 episodes (Series 3, Episodes 4, 6, 7, 8) | |
| 2001 | Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years | Eleanor Flood | 2 episodes (Episodes 5 and 6)[11] |
| The Inspector Lynley Mysteries | Stepha Odell | 1 episode ("A Great Deliverance") | |
| The Armando Iannucci Shows | 1 episode ("Imagination") | ||
| Family Affairs | Diane Short | 2001–2002 Nominated, British Soap Award for Best Actress, 2002 |
|
| Doctors | Angela Crowther | 1 episode ("Bring Me Sunshine") | |
| 2003 | Holby City | Melanie Knox | 1 episode ("House of Cards") |
| The Bill | Jo Fox | 1 episode (Series 19, Episode 99) | |
| 2004 | Monarch of the Glen | Kelly McGee | 1 episode (Series 6, Episode 6) |
| 2005 | Doctors | Rebecca Dobson | 1 episode ("When Two Become One") |
| Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee | Bea | ||
| The Golden Hour | Dr Christine Whelan | ||
| Walk Away and I Stumble | Suzi | ||
| 2006 | Holby City | Jill Pearce | 1 episode ("Invasion") |
| 2007 | Skins | Claire | 1 episode ("Jal") |
| Recovery | Homeowner | ||
| Oh Happy Day | Fern | Feature film | |
| True Dare Kiss | Nita McKinnon | ||
| Suburban Shootout | Penny Hawthorne | 2 episodes ("Fight Club" and "In it For the Wild Life") | |
| EastEnders | Rachel Branning | Recurring role, 2007—2010 | |
| 2008 | Midsomer Murders | Julia Benson | 1 episode ("Midsomer Life") |
| George Gently | Wanda Lane | 1 episode (The Burning Man)[12] | |
| Casualty | Pennie Ashton | 1 episode ("Guilt Complex") | |
| 2009 | Ashes to Ashes | Ruth Irvine | 1 episode (Series 2, Episode 1) |
| The Bill | Maria Walmsley | 1 episode ("Down South") | |
| Criminal Justice | Amelia Rose | 4 episodes (Series 2, Episodes 2, 3, 4, 5) | |
| Enid | Theresa Blyton | ||
| 2010 | Five Days | Maureen Hardy[13][14] | |
| Accused | Carmel Houlihan | 1 episode ("Willy's Story") | |
| Moving On | Lynne | 1 episode ("Sauce for the Goose")[15] | |
| Doctor Who | The Captain | 1 episode ("A Christmas Carol") | |
| 2011 | Shameless | Sandra Brown | 1 episode (Series 8, Episode 7) |
| Ideal | Donna | 1 episode Series 7 episode 5 | |
| Casualty | Emma Davies | 1 episode ("Starting Out") | |
| Top Boy | Dr. Jenny Northam |
| Year | Production | Role | Theatre |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Sweet Sessions | The Dark Lady | Old Fire Station, Oxford[16] |
| 1993 | Don't Fool with Love | Peasant Girl | National tour |
| A Month in the Country | Verochka | Salisbury Playhouse | |
| Billy Liar | Rita | Salisbury Playhouse[17] | |
| 1995 | Racine's Andromache, adapted by Craig Raine | Annette LeSkye | Almeida Theatre[18][19] |
| 1997 | Jane Eyre | Bertha | Shared Experience theatre company at the Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, Young Vic Theatre, London, and touring[20] |
| 1998 | Anna Karenina | Kitty and Seriozha | Brooklyn Academy of Music's Majestic Theater,[21] Lyric Hammersmith |
| 2003 | Present Laughter | Monica | Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford,[22] King's Theatre, Glasgow[23] |
| 2004 | Loot | Fay | Bristol Old Vic[24] |
| 2005 | Romeo and Juliet | Lady Capulet | Royal Exchange Theatre[25] |
| 2005 | Sitting Pretty | New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich[26] | |
| 2008 | Perséphone | Persephone | City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra |