Suzanne Packer

Suzanne Packer (born Suzanne Jackson on 26 November 1962)[1] is a Welsh actress, known for playing the role of Tess Bateman in the BBC medical drama Casualty from September 2003 to August 2015. She later returned to the series as a guest for the 30th anniversary episodes. Since departing from Casualty, she has appeared in various television series including Bang, In My Skin and The Pembrokeshire Murders.

Suzanne Packer
Born
Suzanne Jackson

(1962-11-26) 26 November 1962
Cardiff, Wales
OccupationActress
Years active1990–present
Spouse(s)Jesse Newman (divorced)
Children1
RelativesColin Jackson (brother)

Early life

Packer is the daughter of Jamaican immigrant parents to Abergavenny, and her mother worked as a nurse. She is the elder sister of the Olympic hurdler Colin Jackson.[2]

Whilst studying at Llanedeyrn High School in Cardiff, she showed an interest in acting, playing the lead in school plays including Oklahoma and The King and I.[3] Packer attended the National Youth Theatre of Wales before earning a BA in theatre and drama at the University of Warwick. She then trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London.[4] Prior to acting professionally, Packer worked as a drama supply teacher. After working at one particular school for three months, she was offered a permanent contract, which she declined due to wanting to pursue acting full-time.[5]

Career

In 1991, Packer co-founded BiBi Crew, Britain's first theatre troupe made up entirely of Black women.[6] After she gained an audition for the BBC drama Casualty and was cast as Tess Bateman, she began appearing onscreen from September 2003.[7] On 22 August 22 2015, she announced her decision to leave Casualty after playing the character of Tess for over 11 years.[8]

Packer appeared with her brother Colin on the first series of Pointless Celebrities on 6 July 2011. They were eliminated in the first round.[9] In 2018, she began portraying the role of Nurse Digby in the BBC Three series In My Skin.[10] On 4 November 2018, Packer played Eve Cicero in the Doctor Who episode, "The Tsuranga Conundrum".[11] In 2021, she starred in the ITV miniseries The Pembrokeshire Murders.[12]

Personal life

Packer met American actor Jesse Newman while on a tour in Europe, and the pair later got married, and had a son together, Paris.[13] The pair later got divorced.[2]

Filmography
Year Title Role Channel Notes
1990–2000 Brookside Josie Johnson/Brooks Channel 4 Recurring roles
1992 Crime Story Barbara Pilkington ITV Episode: "All Good Friends"
1994 The Lifeboat Helen Mitchell Unknown Epiaode: "Shadow of Doubt"
1995 Grange Hill Miss Foster BBC 2 episodes
1995 Some Kind of Life Dr. Judson Unknown
1996 Wales Playhouse Veronica BBC Wales Episode: "Strangers in the Night"
1996 Porkpie Trish Channel 4 Episode: "Fatal Distraction"
1997 Tiger Bay Marie Unknown 4 episodes
1998 Brothers and Sisters Siobhan Etienne Unknown
1999 The Bill Katherine Adams ITV Episode: "Treading Water"
2000 Dirty Work Rhiannon Unknown 6 episodes
2002 Third Watch Dr. Sharon Reid NBC Episode: "The Greater Good"
2003–2015, 2016 Casualty Tess Bateman BBC Series regular
2004–2005 Holby City 2 episodes
2005 Casualty @ Holby City 3 episodes
2014 Under Milk Wood Mrs. Beynon Television film
2015 Doctors Rose Blair Episode: "The Heart of England"
2016 Stella Carol Sky 1 Series 5
2016 The Level Teresa Devlin ITV Recurring role
2017 Vera Sophia Episode: "Natural Selection"
2017 Bang Layla S4C/BBC Main role
2017, 2019 Un Bore Mercher / Keeping Faith Delyth Lloyd Main role
2018 Death in Paradise Maya Oprey BBC 1 episode
2018 Hold the Sunset Mrs. Pool Episode: "Roger the Carer"
2018 Doctor Who Eve Cicero Episode: "The Tsuranga Conundrum"
2018 The ABC MurdersCapstick3 episodes
2018, 2020 In My Skin Nurse Digby BBC Three Recurring role
2020 Cyswllt (Mewn COVID) Ruth S4C
2021 The Pembrokeshire Murders Chief Constable Tyler ITV1 Miniseries

References
  1. Abbie Wightwick (28 September 2018). "Brilliant, Black and Welsh: A celebration of 100 African Caribbean and African Welsh people". Wales Online. Archived from the original on 11 December 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  2. "Colin Jackson and his sister, Suzanne". Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  3. "Casualty tales shrugged off by fun mum". Wales Online. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  4. Hayward 1996, p. 193
  5. "Suzanne Packer talks about her experiences as a teacher". BBC. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  6. Abram, Nicola (2020), Abram, Nicola (ed.), "Theatre of Black Women", Black British Women's Theatre: Intersectionality, Archives, Aesthetics, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 23–84, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-51459-4_2, ISBN 978-3-030-51459-4, archived from the original on 17 January 2021, retrieved 28 October 2020
  7. "Characters & Cast: Tess Bateman". BBC. Archived from the original on 28 October 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
  8. "Ex Casualty star Suzanne Packer: 'I've all the power in my new drama!'". What's on TV. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  9. "Episode 3". BBC. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  10. "BBC orders a dark comedy about a teen and her mentally ill mum". Chortle. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  11. Ling, Thomas (4 November 2018). "Doctor Who series 11 episode 5: meet the guest cast of The Tsuranga Conundrum". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 5 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  12. "Viewers Praise Luke Evans' Performance in 'Gripping' Serial Killer Drama Pembrokeshire Murders". Tyla. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  13. "casualty pack" (PDF). BBC. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 December 2003. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
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