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Ronni Ancona
Born Veronica Jane Ancona
(1966-07-04) 4 July 1966 (age 57)
Louth, Lincolnshire, England
Occupation Actress, impressionist
Spouse
Gerard Hall
(m. 2004)
Children 2

Veronica "Ronni" Jane Ancona (born 4 July 1966) is a British actress, comedian, impressionist and writer best known for The Big Impression, which she co-wrote and starred in and was, for four years, one of BBC One's top-rated comedy programmes, winning numerous awards, including a BAFTA in 2003. Ancona also starred in the first series of the BAFTA-winning ITV series The Sketch Show. Ancona has appeared in the BAFTA-winning Last Tango in Halifax since its creation in 2012. She is a co-director, alongside Sally Phillips and Nick Hamson, of the production company Captain Dolly.

Early life

Ancona was born in Louth, Lincolnshire, but moved to Scotland when she was a few days old. and was mostly brought up in Troon, Scotland. She is of Italian Jewish descent. Her father was a commander in the Royal Navy and her mother 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. 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 did a degree in theatre & 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. Ancona then attended the Institute of Education, University College London and qualified as a teacher in art, design & technology, and drama. Whilst working as a teacher, Ancona started a comedy career on the live circuit. She won the Time Out Hackney Empire New Act of the Year in 1993.

Television career

For many years, Ancona worked extensively in radio and on television shows such as Fist of Fun, as well as performing stand-up comedy. She co-wrote and performed in shows such as Comedy Nation, Pulp Video, and The Sketch Show alongside Lee Mack. 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 for four years, 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 & The Rottentrolls", who was the smartest of the titular Rottentrolls.

In 2003, she starred in the BBC One historical drama The Key.

In 2005, she played Barbara in Stephen Poliakoff's Gideon's Daughter on BBC One.

She 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.

In 2007, her three-episode comedy sketch series Ronni Ancona & Co was broadcast on BBC One.

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 January 2015, she was a guest on Room 101.

In 2016, she played the role of 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, Ancona 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.

On 27 December 2020, Ancona 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.

Film career

Ancona's first feature role was in 1999 when she appeared in The Debt Collector alongside Billy Connolly.

In 2004, she played the role of Pat Connelly in The Calcium Kid.

In the same year, she appeared in Stella Street: The Movie, playing numerous female celebrities including Madonna and Victoria Beckham.

In 2005, Ancona played the role of Anita in Michael Winterbottom's A Cock and Bull Story.

She had a cameo role in the 2006 fantasy romantic comedy Penelope.

In 2013, Ancona 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.

In 2018, she had a small role in the US comedy film Show Dogs and starred in Surviving Christmas with the Relatives.

Theatre

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.

In 2004, Ancona was cast in Singin' in the Rain, the first production with Adam Cooper. Ancona played the role of Lina Lamont, the silent-movie starlet, in the Sadler's Wells production.

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 returned to the Almeida to perform in Little Revolution, set during and after the 2011 London riots, alongside Lucian Msamati and Imogen Stubbs.

In June 2015, Ancona was cast to play the role of 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 2019, she performed in the Edinburgh Fringe show Just Checking In, which she co-wrote with Kim Fuller and fellow cast member Lewis MacLeod.

Written work

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.

Awards

Ancona co-wrote The Big Impression, which won numerous awards including a BAFTA in 2003. She was nominated for Best Comedy Newcomer in 2000 and Best Comedy actress in 2002, as well as winning The Best TV comedy Actress in 2003. Ancona and McGowan also received The Variety Club Comedy Award in 2002.

Nominee - Best Comedy Newcomer - Big Impression - 2000

Winner - Broadcast Award - 2001

Nominee – Best Comedy Actress - 2002 - Big Impression

Winner - Variety Club Comedy Award - 2002

Winner - New TV Talent of the Year - Television and Radio Industries Club - 2002

Winner - Comedy Actress - ... Women of the Year Awards – 2002

Winner - Best TV Comedy Actress - Big Impression - 2003

Winner - Funny Woman of the Year - Glamour Women of the Year Awards - 2004

Winner - BAFTA – The Sketch Show

Winner - BAFTA – The Big Impression

Personal life

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 is an ambassador to the Environmental Investigation Agency, Marie Curie and Sightsavers.

Appearances

Television

Pointless Celebrities (Series 13, Episode 24 "Impressionists") BBC One 2021
The Chase celebrity special ITV 2020
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Celebrity Special (Series 35, Christmas Special) ITV 2020
Last Tango in Halifax BBC One 2012–2020
Lorraine ITV 2020
Britain's Greatest Comedian Gold 2019
Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two BBC Two 2018
The Week That Wasn't Sky One 2018
The One Show BBC One 2018
Good Morning Britain ITV 2018
The Imitation Game ITV 2018
Where in the World? CBeebies 2017
The Nightly Show ITV 2017
QI (Series N Episode 13 "Naval Navigation") BBC One 2017
Doctors BBC One 2016
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip (Series 6, Episode 10) BBC Two 2016
Pointless Celebrities (Series 10, "Impressionists") BBC One 2016
Still Game (Series 7 Episode 6 "Down and Out") BBC One 2016
Marriage of Reason and Squalor Sky Arts 2015
Citizen Khan (Series 4 Episode 4 "Chicken Shop") BBC One 2015
Father Brown (Series 3, Episode 8 "The Lair of the Libertines") BBC One 2015
Room 101 (Series 4, Episode 1) BBC One 2015
The Saturday Night Story BBC One 2015
The Trip BBC Two 2014
Portrait Artist of the Year Sky Arts 2014
The Blame Game BBC One 2014
QI (Series L, Episode 11) BBC Two 2014
Pointless Celebrities (Series 6, episode 30 "Comedy Performers") BBC One 2014
Pointless Celebrities (Series 6, episode 12 "Comedy Performers") BBC One 2014
Greatest 80's Movies Channel 5 2014
Sunday Side Up ITV 2013
The Wright Stuff Channel 5 2013
Britain's Secret Homes ITV 2013
Scots on the Box BBC One 2012
Bring Me Morecambe and Wise Gold 2012
Little Crackers Sky 1 2012
Britain's Funniest Comedy Characters Gold 2012
QI] (Series I, Episode 11) BBC Two 2011
Shooting Stars (Series 8) BBC Two 2011
Loose Women (Series 16) ITV 2011
Midsomer Murders (Series 13, Episode 8) ITV 2011
My Favourite Joke BBC One 2011
The Comic Strip Presents - Barbara Windsor Channel 4 2011
Pet Squad CBBC 2011
QI (Series H, Episode 15) BBC One 2011
The Big Red Nose Desert Trek BBC One 2011
QI (Series G, Episode 7) BBC One 2010
A Comedy Roast: Sharon Osbourne Channel 4 2010
Stand Up Hero ITV4 2010
Skins E4 2009/2010
Not Again: Not the Nine O'Clock News BBC Two 2009
Steve Coogan: The Inside Story BBC Two 2009
The Grumpy Guide to Christmas BBC Two 2009
Would I Lie to You? BBC One 2009
Bremner, Bird & Fortune Channel 4 2009
The One Show BBC One 2009
The One Show BBC One 2009
Hope Springs BBC One 2009
QI (Series F, Episode 1) BBC Two 2008
Ronni Ancona & Co BBC One 2008
Comedy Classic 2008
TV Heaven, Telly Hell Channel 4 2007
Richard & Judy Channel 4 2007
Summer Exhibition 2007
The New Paul O'Grady Show ITV 2007
Comic Relief BBC One 2007
The Comedy Map of Britain BBC Two 2007
Agatha Christie's Marple ITV 2007
Hotel Babylon BBC One 2007
QI (Series D, Episode 4) BBC Four 2006
Have I Got News for You (Series 32, episode 6) BBC One 2006
The Story of Light Entertainment BBC Two 2006
Britain's Funniest Comedy Character Gold 2006
The Secret Policeman's Ball Channel 4 2006
Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive (Series 1, episode 4) BBC Three 2006
Monkey Trousers ITV 2005
Gideon's Daughter BBC One 2005
Nigella BBC Two 2005
Return of the Goodie BBC Two 2005
BBC Breakfast BBC One 2005
Comic Relief: Red Nose Night Live BBC One 2005
The 100 Greatest Christmas Moments 2004
The British Comedy Awards 2004 ITV 2004
Today with Des and Mel ITV 2004
This Morning ITV 2004
Hurrah for Cancer BBC Three 2004
From Bard to Verse 2004
Film 2004 with Jonathan Ross (Episode 29) BBC One 2004
Who Did You Do? 2003
The British Comedy Awards 2003 ITV 2003
Parkinson BBC One 2003
Patrick Kielty Almost Live BBC Northern Ireland 2003
Comic Relief BBC One 2003
Sven and Nancy's Big Impression BBC One 2003
Posh and Becks' Big Impression (Christmas Special) BBC One 2003
The Big Impression (4 series, 3 specials) [BBC One 1999–2005
The Key BBC Two 2003
The Big Impression Christmas Special BBC One 2002
BBC Breakfast BBC One 2002
Sport Relief BBC One 2002
The Sketch Show ITV 2001
Night of a Thousand Faces 2001
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross BBC One 2001
Combat Sheep BBC Two 2001
Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible BBC Two 2001
The RDA BBC One 2000
Holby City BBC One 2000
Mark Lamarr Leaving 20th Century BBC Two 1999
Comedy Nation BBC Two 1998
Roger and the Rottentrolls ITV 1997-2000
Klinik! Channel 4 1997
Funny Business ITV 1997
Space Cadets Channel 4 1997
Pulp Video BBC Two 1995
Fist of Fun BBC Two 1995–1996
Scratchy and Co. CITV 1995
What's Up Doc? ITV 1995
The Geeks ITV 1995
The Imaginatively Titled Punt and Dennis Show BBC One 1994
Ben Elton: The Man from Auntie BBC One 1994
That's Showbusiness (Episode 6.27) BBC One 1994
Rory Bremner, Who Else? Channel 4 1993
The Full Monty ITV 1993
Standing Room Only BBC Two 1991
The Comedy Store BBC One
Live at Jongleurs ITV 1997
The Staggering Stories of Ferdinand de Bargos BBC Two 1989

Film

Title Year Role Notes
The Devil Went Down to Islington 2019 Mrs. Spencer Skinned Productions
Surviving Christmas with the Relatives 2019 Vicky Studio Soho Films
Show Dogs 2018 Poopsie Chow's Owner Open Road Films
The Trip to Italy 2014 Donna BBC Films
Penelope 2008 Wanda Dir: Mark Polansky
A Cock and Bull Story 2005 Anita Dir: Michael Winterbottom
Stella Street: The Movie 2004 Various roles Absolutely Productions
The Calcium Kid 2004 Pat Connelly Calcium Films Ltd
The Debt Collector 1999 Miss Dryden Channel 4 Films

Short film

Title Year Role
Stuffed 2018 Gwen
The Prince of Denmark 2016 Gertrude
The Early Days 2003 Leela

Radio

Title Channel
Life, Death & ... 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
Griff Rhys Jones Show Radio 4
Gaby's Talking Pictures Radio 4

Theatre

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

Writer

Title
The Week That Wasn't
Ronni Ancona & Co
Kelsey Grammer Presents: The Sketch Show
The Sketch Show
The Big Impression
Pulp Video
Comedy Nation
Monkey Trousers
Standing Room Only
Miss Conceptions
Just Checking In

Producer

Title
Posh & Beck's Big Impression: Behind the Scenes & Extra Bits
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