Jane Danson

Acting

Danson was born in Bury, Greater Manchester, England. At the age of 11, Danson made her television debut under the name Jane Dawson in the 1991 Alan Bleasdale series G.B.H. playing the part of Eileen Critchley.

From 1995 to 1997, Danson played the role of Paula in the ITV children's television drama Children's Ward. In 1996, she also appeared in Out of Tune, a British children's sitcom which was shown on CBBC. She also made an appearance in the first episode of the BBC's Hetty Wainthropp Investigates which was aired in January 1996.

In 1997, Danson landed parts in the ITV period drama series The Grand, in which she played the role of Monica Jones for seven episodes, and then in the top-rated ITV soap opera Coronation Street, playing teenager Leanne Battersby. The Battersby family were dubbed the "Neighbours From Hell" and made an immediate impact on the long-running show's loyal audience. Danson left the show in 2000 — a year which also saw her win the Rear of the Year award — not long after a harrowing storyline that saw her character become a drug addict.

Danson's next role was as Nurse Samantha Docherty in the drama series Always and Everyone (also known as A&E) from 2001-2002. She then later joined the cast of ITV police drama The Bill in 2002. Danson portrayed Gemma Osbourne, the first lesbian police officer in the show's history. However, the role was short-lived and she left in 2003.

In 2004, Danson rejoined the cast of Coronation Street as Leanne. In early 2006, it was announced that Danson was pregnant and she left Coronation Street at the end of July for maternity leave. She returned to filming in January 2007, making her first appearance back on screen two months later.

In January 2007, Danson appeared in the second series of Soapstar Superstar but was eliminated after the overnight vote on the second show. However, a subsequent investigation into malpractice on the part of ITV in viewer voting revealed that while Danson and Tupele Dorgu were both put forward for elimination at the end of the first episode, it had in fact been Verity Rushworth and Leon Lopez who scored lowest in the poll and should therefore have been the two options.

Other

Danson appeared on the first celebrity edition of Stars in Their Eyes. Alongside four other actresses from Coronation Street, they impersonated the Spice Girls.

Personal life

Danson went to Radcliffe High School, Radcliffe near Bury in Greater Manchester.

Danson began dating former Brookside actor Robert Beck in 1999 and the two married in December 2005. They have two sons together, Harry Alexander Jack (born 14 July 2006) and Sam Alfie Robert (born 26 February 2009 )

Awards and nominations