Jo Joyner facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jo Joyner
Joyner in 2011
Born	Joanne Mary Joyner (1977-05-24) 24 May 1977 (age 48) England
Alma mater	Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1999–present
Television	No Angels EastEnders Marley's Ghosts Ackley Bridge Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators
Spouse(s)	Neil Madden ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	2

Joanne Mary Joyner (born 24 May 1977) is an English actress. She is famous for playing Tanya Branning in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders and headteacher Mandy Carter in the school drama Ackley Bridge.

Since 2018, she has starred as Luella Shakespeare in the BBC crime-solving show Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators.

Early Life and Education

Jo Joyner was born in England on May 24, 1977. She was interested in acting from a young age.

In 1999, she graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Acting.

Acting Career

After graduating, Joyner appeared in several TV shows. These included Heartbeat and Clocking Off. Her first major role was playing Beth Nicholls in the Channel 4 comedy-drama No Angels from 2004 to 2006.

She also appeared in the historical drama North & South and played Lynda Moss in two episodes of Doctor Who.

EastEnders Fame

In June 2006, Joyner became famous for playing Tanya Branning in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. At first, she wasn't sure about taking the role. She worried about the fame that comes with being in such a big show.

Her role as Tanya was a huge success. She won many awards, including Best Dramatic Performance at the 2008 British Soap Awards. She and Jake Wood, who played her on-screen husband, also won for Best On-Screen Partnership in 2012.

Joyner left EastEnders in 2013 to spend more time with her family and try new roles. She returned for special episodes in 2015 and 2017.

Roles After EastEnders

After leaving EastEnders, Joyner continued to act in many popular TV shows.

In 2017, she began playing Mandy Carter, the headteacher in the Channel 4 drama Ackley Bridge. She was on the show until 2021.

Starting in 2018, she took on the lead role of Luella Shakespeare in the BBC comedy-drama Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators. She stars alongside Mark Benton as a pair of private detectives.

More recently, she appeared in the Netflix thriller Stay Close in 2021 and the Channel 5 drama Riptide in 2022. In 2025, she played a doctor in the Paramount+ show Little Disasters.

Personal Life

Joyner married Neil Madden in 2007. In December 2009, she gave birth to fraternal twins, a boy and a girl.

Selected TV Shows and Movies

Here are some of Jo Joyner's most well-known roles:

Awards and Nominations

Jo Joyner has won several awards for her acting. Here are a few highlights:

See also

In Spanish: Jo Joyner para niños