
Amelia Bullmore: Actress, Writer and Coronation Street Star
Some actors write on the side; Amelia Bullmore has built a career on doing both, often at the same time. From Steph Barnes on Coronation Street to Lady Susan Hussey in The Crown, she’s the kind of performer who makes you wonder why you haven’t seen more of her writing — and her acting and screenwriting credits have reinforced each other across three decades of British television and stage work.
Born: 31 January 1964, Chelsea, London ·
Known for: Coronation Street, This Life, Scott & Bailey, The Crown ·
Coronation Street role: Steph Barnes, 1990–1992 ·
The Crown role: Lady Susan Hussey ·
Scott & Bailey: Acted as DCI Gill Murray and wrote episodes
Quick snapshot
- Born 31 January 1964 in London (Wikipedia (tertiary encyclopedia))
- English actress, screenwriter and playwright (Wikipedia) (Wikipedia (tertiary encyclopedia))
- Studied Drama at Manchester University (United Agents (primary talent agency))
- Steph Barnes in Coronation Street (1990–1992) (Apple TV (streaming database))
- DCI Gill Murray in Scott & Bailey (2011) (The Guardian (broadsheet newspaper))
- Vicky Fleming in Happy Valley (2016) (Wikipedia) (Apple TV (streaming database))
- Professional writer from 1994 (United Agents)
- Wrote episodes of Scott & Bailey (The Guardian)
- Combines acting with playwriting and screenwriting (British Comedy Guide)
- Lady Susan Hussey in The Crown (Wikipedia) (IMDb (user-contributed database))
- Yvonne in Riot Women (2025) (IMDb (user-contributed database))
- Returning Sally Wainwright collaborator (The Guardian) (IMDb (user-contributed database))
The cards above compress the same data points that the key-facts table below expands.
Eight key facts, one pattern: Bullmore’s trajectory shows a performer who has never treated acting and writing as separate lanes. Here’s how the data lines up.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Amelia Mary Bullmore |
| Date of birth | 31 January 1964 |
| Place of birth | Chelsea, London, England |
| Occupation | Actress, screenwriter, playwright |
| Education | Drama at Manchester University |
| Known for | Coronation Street, This Life, Scott & Bailey, The Crown |
| Spouse | David Westhead |
| Children | 2 |
Bullmore’s filmography reads like a two‑track career that keeps crossing. She doesn’t just appear in prestige dramas – she also scripts them. The consequence: when she acts in a Sally Wainwright production, she brings a writer’s understanding of structure to the performance.
How old is Amelia Bullmore?
Where was Amelia Bullmore born?
Amelia Mary Bullmore was born on 31 January 1964 in Chelsea, London (Wikipedia).
What did Amelia Bullmore study at university?
She studied Drama at the University of Manchester, and her professional writing career began in 1994 (United Agents).
What this means: her birth year is 1964, making her 62 in 2026 – and she already had a decade of writing credits before turning forty.
Who was Amelia Bullmore in Coronation Street?
How long was Amelia Bullmore in Coronation Street?
- Amelia Bullmore appeared in Coronation Street from 1990 to 1992 (Apple TV).
- Her character was Steph Barnes (Wikipedia).
- The role is cited in her major profiles as one of her key early credits (The Guardian).
The pattern: Bullmore’s run on the Street gave her the on‑set exposure and scheduling stability to start writing scripts on the side – a move that would define the rest of her career.
What has Amelia Bullmore been in?
Who did Amelia Bullmore play in Happy Valley?
- She played Vicky Fleming in Happy Valley (Wikipedia).
Who did Amelia Bullmore play in The IT Crowd?
- According to her IMDb credits, Bullmore played the character “Minister’s Wife” in the episode “The Speech” (IMDb). (Note: this credit requires verification from a primary source; it is not confirmed in the high‑confidence research.)
What role did Amelia Bullmore play in Alan Partridge?
- The British Comedy Guide (specialist comedy database) states she played Sonja, Alan Partridge’s Ukrainian girlfriend, in I’m Alan Partridge.
- Other notable credits: This Life (1996), State of Play, Ashes to Ashes, Twenty Twelve (where she played Head of Sustainability Kay Hope) (BBC (broadcaster interview)), What We Did on Our Holiday (2014), and Riot Women (2025, as Yvonne) (IMDb; The Guardian).
For another British actress with a similarly layered TV CV, see TV Shows with Victoria Hamilton: Full List.
The catch: many of Bullmore’s comedy and drama roles from the 2000s are scattered across episode guides rather than aggregated in one place – which is why a single answer is hard to find.
Who did Amelia Bullmore play in The Crown?
What is Lady Susan Hussey known for?
- Amelia Bullmore played Lady Susan Hussey in the later seasons of Netflix’s The Crown (Wikipedia).
- Lady Susan Hussey is a longtime lady‑in‑waiting to Queen Elizabeth II, and the role is a natural fit for Bullmore’s ability to convey quiet authority.
Why this matters: The Crown role catapulted Bullmore to a global audience, but the casting choice makes sense – she had already played senior female authority figures (DCI Gill Murray, Vicky Fleming) with the same understated power.
Did Amelia Bullmore write Scott & Bailey?
Who created Scott & Bailey?
- Scott & Bailey was created by Diane Taylor and Sally Wainwright (The Guardian).
- Amelia Bullmore wrote episodes of the series, separate from the creation credit (The Guardian).
- She also acted in Scott & Bailey as DCI Gill Murray (Wikipedia).
What was Amelia Bullmore’s role in Scott & Bailey?
- She played DCI Gill Murray and wrote episodes for the show (The Guardian).
The trade‑off: because she wore both hats, her writing contributed to the same show she performed in – a rare double role that shows how her craft feeds off itself.
Who is Amelia Bullmore married to?
Does Amelia Bullmore have children?
- Amelia Bullmore is married to actor David Westhead (IMDb biography (user-contributed database)). (Note: some older profiles list Paul Higgins; the most recent confirmable marriage is to Westhead.)
- The couple has two children (IMDb biography).
- Exact wedding date and children’s names are not publicly confirmed in the high‑confidence profile data.
What remains unclear: the personal‑life details beyond the basic facts are scarce – another reason this question is not fully answered on the open web.
Bullmore’s marriage to a fellow actor (Westhead) and her two children are the only personal details that surface in reliable sources. Any further speculation risks stretching beyond the known data.
The pattern: the marriage detail is the one personal fact that survives across profiles; the private timeline around it stays out of view.
Timeline signal
These dates mark the pivot points where Bullmore’s acting and writing careers crossed.
| Period | Event |
|---|---|
| 1964 | Born Amelia Mary Bullmore in Chelsea, London (Wikipedia). |
| 1990–1992 | Played Steph Barnes in Coronation Street (Apple TV). |
| 1994 | Began writing professionally (United Agents). |
| 1996 | Appeared in This Life (The Guardian). |
| 2011 | Played DCI Gill Murray and wrote for Scott & Bailey (The Guardian). |
| 2016 | Played Vicky Fleming in Happy Valley (Wikipedia). |
| 2022 | Played Lady Susan Hussey in The Crown (Wikipedia). |
| 2025 | Played Yvonne in Sally Wainwright’s Riot Women (IMDb). |
What the timeline shows: Bullmore’s writing started just two years after her first major TV credit – and she has kept both tracks active ever since.
Clarity: Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- Born 31 January 1964 in Chelsea, London (Wikipedia).
- Studied Drama at Manchester University (United Agents).
- Coronation Street years: 1990–1992; played Steph Barnes (Apple TV).
- Professional writing from 1994 (United Agents).
- Played DCI Gill Murray and wrote for Scott & Bailey (The Guardian).
- Played Lady Susan Hussey in The Crown (Wikipedia).
What’s unclear
- Exact character and episode for The IT Crowd and Alan Partridge need verification from primary cast lists (IMDb; British Comedy Guide).
- Exact wedding date and children’s names are not visible in the available SERP data (IMDb biography).
- Whether Riot Women is treated as a current release depends on the publication date (IMDb).
- United Agents dates her professional writing from 1994; TMDb gives 1995 (United Agents; TMDb).
- IMDb’s biography names Paul Higgins as a spouse, while later profiles name David Westhead (IMDb biography; The Guardian).
- The full list of her early stage and radio credits is not aggregated in the high-confidence source set (United Agents; The Guardian).
The split in this list is deliberate: enough is on the record for the main career contours, but the personal and early-theatre details stay thinner.
Quotes from the sources
“Bullmore is known for playing Sonja, Alan Partridge’s Ukrainian girlfriend, in I’m Alan Partridge.”
British Comedy Guide (specialist comedy database)
“She started out as an actress and began writing professionally in 1994.”
United Agents (primary talent agency)
Both quotes point to the same pattern: the writing and performing sides of Bullmore’s CV were always meant to overlap.
Why Bullmore’s dual career matters
For another UK actor whose career crosses mediums, see Charlotte Spencer: Actress, Roles, and Misconceptions.
Amelia Bullmore is not just an actress who occasionally writes – she’s a writer who acts, and that rare combination gives her a distinct edge. For viewers of Scott & Bailey, Happy Valley, or Riot Women, the authenticity of her performances comes from someone who knows how stories are built from the inside. For producers looking for a performer who can also punch up a script, the choice is clear: hire Bullmore, or risk missing a creative partner who can do both.
broadwayworld.com, imdb.com, fr.wikipedia.org, famousbirthdays.com
Frequently asked questions
Why is Amelia Bullmore associated with Sally Wainwright?
Bullmore has worked with Sally Wainwright on multiple projects: she acted in and wrote for Scott & Bailey, appeared in Happy Valley, and plays a lead role in Riot Women – a collaboration pattern spanning over a decade.
Who does Amelia Bullmore play in Riot Women?
In the 2025 Sally Wainwright series Riot Women, Bullmore plays Yvonne, a lead guitarist.
When did Amelia Bullmore start writing professionally?
According to her United Agents profile, she began writing professionally in 1994.
What is Amelia Bullmore’s connection to This Life?
Bullmore appeared in the 1996 BBC drama This Life and also wrote episodes for the series (The Guardian).
Has Amelia Bullmore worked in comedy as well as drama?
Yes. Her comedy credits include playing Sonja in I’m Alan Partridge, Kay Hope in Twenty Twelve, and appearances in Down the Line (British Comedy Guide).
Where did Amelia Bullmore go to university?
She studied Drama at the University of Manchester (United Agents).
What awards has Amelia Bullmore won for her writing?
Her play Mammals won the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and was shortlisted for other awards (TMDb (community film database)).
These answers cover the recurring search questions around Bullmore’s career without padding the record beyond what the sources support.