{{Short description|English actress (born 1976)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Use British English|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Jo Coffey | birth_name = Joanna Suzanne Coffey | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|08|26|df=y}} | birth_place = Solihull, West Midlands, England | occupation = {{hlist|Comedian|actress|writer}} | years_active = 2007–present | television = ''Waterloo Road'' }}
'''Joanna Suzanne Coffey''' (born 26 August 1976) is an English comedian, actress and writer. After beginning her career in stand-up comedy and performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, she has since gone on to appear in various television shows including ''EastEnders'', ''Avoidance'', ''The Witcher: Blood Origin'' and ''Extraordinary''. Since 2023, she has portrayed the role of Wendy Whitwell in the BBC school drama ''Waterloo Road''.
==Life and career== Joanna Suzanne Coffey was born on 26 August 1976 in Solihull, West Midlands.<ref name="if">{{cite web |title=Jo Coffey {{!}} Ingenious Fools |url=https://ingeniousfools.co.uk/project/jocoffey/ |access-date=12 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Jo Coffey – Finding the Funny |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/jo-coffey/id1518867893?i=1000647347794 |website=Apple Podcasts |access-date=12 March 2025}}</ref> She began her career in stand-up comedy and has performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe several times since 2007.<ref name="if"/> Her shows include ''My Dad's Caravan Is Rubbish'' and ''Not 25''.<ref name="if"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Jo Coffey, comedian tour dates : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide |url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/comics/j/265/jo_coffey |website=www.chortle.co.uk |access-date=12 March 2025 |language=en |archive-date=18 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240918054436/https://www.chortle.co.uk/comics/j/265/jo_coffey |url-status=live }}</ref> Coffey has dwarfism and describes herself as "the comedy circuit's fourth shortest comic".<ref>{{cite web |title=Jo Coffey: Not 25 |url=https://archive.festmag.com/edinburgh/comedy/jo-coffey-not-25 |website=Fest Magazine |access-date=12 March 2025 |date=18 August 2016}}</ref> Coffey subsequently embarked on a career as an actress and appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' as Elspeth, a probationary officer overseeing Lucas Johnson in January 2021.<ref name="eastenders">{{cite web |title=Who did Jo Coffey play in EastEnders and where is she now? |url=https://www.heart.co.uk/showbiz/tv-movies/eastenders/who-jo-coffey-play-where-now/ |website=Heart |access-date=12 March 2025 |language=en |archive-date=6 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206193410/https://www.heart.co.uk/showbiz/tv-movies/eastenders/who-jo-coffey-play-where-now/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2022, she took part in the Channel 4 comedy programme ''Jokes Only A...Can Tell'' in an episode featuring jokes told by disabled comedians.<ref name="jokes">{{cite web |title=Channel 4 launches new digital comedy series 'Jokes Only A... Can Tell' |url=https://www.channel4.com/press/news/channel-4-launches-new-digital-comedy-series-jokes-only-acan-tell |website=Channel 4 |access-date=12 March 2025}}</ref> She also appeared in the BBC comedy series ''Avoidance'' as Deena, as well as portraying a dwarf in an episode of the Netflix fantasy series ''The Witcher: Blood Origin''.<ref name="avoidance">{{cite web |last1=Guide |first1=British Comedy |title=Avoidance: Series 1, Episode 5 |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/avoidance/episodes/1/5/ |website=British Comedy Guide |access-date=12 March 2025 |language=en |archive-date=8 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241208054156/https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/avoidance/episodes/1/5/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="plex">{{cite web |title=Jo Coffey |url=https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/jo-coffey |website=Plex.tv |access-date=12 March 2025}}</ref>
In 2023, Coffey was cast in the BBC school drama ''Waterloo Road'' as Wendy Whitwell.<ref>{{cite web |title=Waterloo Road 2024 cast: Meet the old and new characters in BBC drama {{!}} Radio Times |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/waterloo-road-full-cast/ |website=Radio Times |access-date=12 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Waterloo Road's cast of staff, parents and students reveal all about the new series |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/waterloo-road-meet-the-cast |website=BBC |access-date=12 March 2025 |language=en |archive-date=23 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323160927/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/waterloo-road-meet-the-cast |url-status=live }}</ref> Her character has served as the personal assistant of headteachers Kim Campbell (Angela Griffin), Steve Savage (Jason Manford) and Stella Drake (Lindsey Coulson) respectively.<ref>{{cite web |title=Waterloo Road season 14 release date and latest news {{!}} Radio Times |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/waterloo-road-season-14-release-date/ |website=Radio Times |access-date=12 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Waterloo Road season 15 release date, news and updates {{!}} Radio Times |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/waterloo-road-season-15-release-date/ |website=Radio Times |access-date=12 March 2025 |archive-date=26 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250226103319/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/waterloo-road-season-15-release-date/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The same year, she appeared in an episode of the comedy series ''Extraordinary'' as Denise, a chemist.<ref name="extraordinary">{{cite web |last1=Guide |first1=British Comedy |title=Extraordinary: Series 1, Episode 3 - Dead End Jobs |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/extraordinary/episodes/1/3/ |website=British Comedy Guide |access-date=12 March 2025 |language=en |archive-date=15 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240615051716/https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/extraordinary/episodes/1/3/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She also appeared on ''Rosie Jones's Disability Comedy Extravaganza'', and was a contestant on an episode of ''Celebrity Mastermind'' in which she answered questions on the ''Dallas'' character J. R. Ewing.<ref name="rj">{{cite web |last1=Creamer |first1=Jon |title=Rosie Jones’s Disability Comedy Extravaganza returns for a third |url=https://www.televisual.com/news/rosie-joness-disability-comedy-extravaganza-returns-for-a-third/ |website=Televisual |access-date=12 March 2025 |date=20 June 2024 |archive-date=10 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241110025419/https://www.televisual.com/news/rosie-joness-disability-comedy-extravaganza-returns-for-a-third/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Jo Coffey, comedian news : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide |url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/comics/j/265/jo_coffey/news |website=Chortle |access-date=12 March 2025 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BBC One - Celebrity Mastermind, 2023/24, Episode 5 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001tlht |website=BBC |access-date=12 March 2025 |archive-date=21 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221211150/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001tlht |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2024, Coffey appeared in an episode of the spy thriller series ''Alex Rider'' as churchwarden Lisa Torrence.<ref name="plex"/>
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes ! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- | 2021 | ''EastEnders'' | Elspeth | Guest role | align="center" | <ref name="eastenders"/> |- | 2022 | ''Jokes Only A...Can Tell'' | Herself | Episode: "Disabled People" | align="center" | <ref name="jokes"/> |- | 2022 | ''Avoidance'' | Deena | Guest role | align="center" | <ref name="avoidance"/> |- | 2022 | ''The Witcher: Blood Origin'' | Dwarf | Episode: "Of Ballads, Brawlers and Bloodied Blades" | align="center" | <ref name="plex"/> |- | 2023–present | ''Waterloo Road'' | Wendy Whitwell | Main role | align="center" | <ref>{{cite web |title=Waterloo Road teases first-look images as series is confirmed to return to the BBC in January |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/waterloo-road-2023-first-look |website=BBC |access-date=12 March 2025 |language=en |archive-date=23 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423024526/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/waterloo-road-2023-first-look |url-status=live }}</ref> |- | 2023 | ''Extraordinary'' | Denise the Chemist | Episode: "Dead End Job" | align="center" | <ref name="extraordinary"/> |- | 2023 | ''Rosie Jones's Disability Comedy Extravaganza'' | Herself | Guest | align="center"| <ref name="rj"/> |- | 2023 | ''Celebrity Mastermind'' | Denise the Chemist | Episode: "Dead End Job" | align="center" | <ref name="extraordinary"/> |- | 2024 | ''Alex Rider'' | Lisa Torrence | Episode: "Shot" | align="center" | <ref name="plex"/> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|3182104}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coffey, Jo}} Category:1976 births Category:21st-century English actresses Category:Actors from Solihull Category:British actors with dwarfism Category:English actors with disabilities Category:English soap opera actresses Category:English women comedians Category:English television actresses Category:Living people