On The Cover Jo Joyner “I Was Ready For A New Challenge”
Actress Jo Joyner talks of her decision to leave Channel 4’s AckleyBridge and shares her exciting plans for the future
As one of our best-loved actresses, thanks to her high-profile roles in EastEnders, Ac kley Bridge and Shakespeare and Hathaway, Jo Joyner is used to being stopped in the street for a few selfies. But there’s one place she’d rather not be recognised.
“When somebody starts chatting to me when I’m standing in M&S, holding a load of underwear… that’s always a little bit exposing!” she admits, throwing her head back with laughter, as she chats to us via Zoom from her home near Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire. “But actually, since Covid, no one knows it’s me because I wear a mask everywhere! So I haven’t chatted to any fans in a while.”
As well as the ability to fly under the radar, the events of the past year have also given her much-needed time off. The first lockdown came while she was mid-way through filming the fourth series of Ackley Bridge – the Channel 4 school drama, in which she’s played tough, career-driven headteacher Mandy for the past four years – and meant an enforced break until they could recommence in September. But she admits she enjoyed the time at home with her family.
“I’ve had more time off from work than ever and it was like a mini retirement. But I felt very lucky to have that quality time with my husband and kids, and we had a great summer off together,” says Jo, who has 11-year-old twins, Freddie and Edie, with her drama teacher husband Neil Madden. “The only slight challenge has been home-schooling. My son ended up teaching me maths, which I then taught to my daughter, and she taught me English, which I taught to my son! I was the go-between.”
Thankfully, Jo’s life has been a little more structured since February, when she began filming on location in Manchester for StayClose, a new Netflix thriller by Innocent and TheStranger writer Harlan Coben. It follows three people all concealing dark secrets in their seemingly comfortable, ordinary lives, and sees her working alongside Sarah Parish and James Nesbitt. Jo says she’s relishing having the freedom to take on new roles now, having quit AckleyBridge at the end of the latest series (which aired last month).
“The reason I’m able to do this is because I have more time. I decided last year that this series would be my last – I’ve loved every second of it, but four years is a long time and it took a big chunk of the year out for me. I felt like my work there was done. I was ready for a new challenge.”
When filming wraps on Stay Close, Jo will begin shooting a new series of BBC1 crime drama Shakespeareand Hathaway – something her kids are even more excited about than she is.
“They haven’t watched me much on TV, probably because they were too young for some of my shows, but during the lockdowns they really got into Shakespeare and Hathaway ,” she smiles. “They’ve been making their own films inspired by the series and on a Saturday night they’ll do a screening for me and my husband, where we have to put together the clues. It’s really fun.”
But even though she’s impressed with their creativity, Jo says she hopes her kids don’t follow in her footsteps and pursue a career in acting.
“Who wants their child to go into acting?” she laughs. “It’s a hard industry and I don’t know if I could take the heartache of watching them on that rollercoaster. Now that I’m a parent, I actually think my mum was really cool with it.
“I’m positive for a future full of much more diversity and female-led stuff”
“Luckily, they’ve shown an interest in careers behind the camera and in design, but we’ll see where life takes them. I’ll support them in whatever they decide to do.”
As for Jo, she’s clearly not short of juicy acting roles and reflects th hat theh outlook l k forf actresses in their 40s and 50s is far more positivep now than it was a few w years ago.
“When n you look at some of the old cla assic TV shows, there was a dro ought of parts for women ofo a certain age – if you weren’t a mum or a mistress, there was sn’t a space for you. But actua ally, there are plenty of women n now who are producing g, writing and directing, , and the bottom line is tha at the more women th here are higher up in any industry, the more wom men are involved l lower down,” sh he says. “I see much h more female-le d stuff and that’s s a great thing. So I’m positive fo or a future full l of much mo ore diversity. ”