Claire Skinner (born 1965) is an English actress, known in the United
Kingdom for her television career, particularly playing Sue Brockman
from the BBC television series Outnumbered.Claire Skinner was born and
brought up in Hemel Hempstead, the youngest daughter of a shopkeeper
and an Irish-born secretary, and was shy as a child. Her dream was to
be an actress and she immersed herself in her ambition. She acted,
neglecting school work at Cavendish School, and "barely scraped
through [her] A-levels". She went on to study at the London Academy of
Music and Dramatic Art and then joined the Royal Shakespeare
Company.Her first role was in Hanky Park, by Walter Greenwood at the
Oldham Repertory Theatre, which she describes as a "really traditional
start". She is best known as "Clare" on the British television comedy
Life Begins, and as "Lucinda", the sous chef in the first series of
Chef! alongside Lenny Henry. From 2007 to 2014 she portrayed Sue
Brockman in the BBC's award-winning sitcom Outnumbered. For many
years, she has preferred theatre to screen roles because she has been
disappointed with her TV projects ("apart from Mike Leigh's stuff"),
"not just when you see the final thing, but also because it hasn't
taken off."
Kingdom for her television career, particularly playing Sue Brockman
from the BBC television series Outnumbered.Claire Skinner was born and
brought up in Hemel Hempstead, the youngest daughter of a shopkeeper
and an Irish-born secretary, and was shy as a child. Her dream was to
be an actress and she immersed herself in her ambition. She acted,
neglecting school work at Cavendish School, and "barely scraped
through [her] A-levels". She went on to study at the London Academy of
Music and Dramatic Art and then joined the Royal Shakespeare
Company.Her first role was in Hanky Park, by Walter Greenwood at the
Oldham Repertory Theatre, which she describes as a "really traditional
start". She is best known as "Clare" on the British television comedy
Life Begins, and as "Lucinda", the sous chef in the first series of
Chef! alongside Lenny Henry. From 2007 to 2014 she portrayed Sue
Brockman in the BBC's award-winning sitcom Outnumbered. For many
years, she has preferred theatre to screen roles because she has been
disappointed with her TV projects ("apart from Mike Leigh's stuff"),
"not just when you see the final thing, but also because it hasn't
taken off."
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