Jenny Seagrove

Jenny Seagrove, born Jennifer Ann Seagrove on 4 July 1957 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya (now Malaysia), grew up in a privileged British expatriate family before moving to Surrey, England. Her mother suffered a stroke when Jenny was less than a year old, and she was raised by her father and later attended St Hilary's School in Godalming. Defying her parents’ wish that she become a professional cook, she pursued acting and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where she honed the craft that would launch a prolific career. Early challenges included a battle with bulimia, which she eventually overcame, describing the recovery as a “very slow process.” Her first major screen break came with the cult classic Local Hero (1983) and the televised adaptation of Barbara Taylor Bradford’s A Woman of Substance (1985), establishing her as a versatile actress capable of both dramatic and light‑hearted roles.

Over the ensuing decades, Seagrove demonstrated remarkable range across theatre, film, and television. Notable stage credits include the title role in Jane Eyre (Chichester Festival, 1986) and performances opposite Martin Shaw in productions such as Murder on Air and The Country Girl. On screen she headlined the horror film The Guardian (1990), the thriller Appointment with Death (1988), and more recently portrayed Louisa Gould in the World War II drama Another Mother’s Son (2017). As QC Jo Mills she anchored the long‑running BBC series Judge John Deed (2001‑2007). Beyond acting, Seagrove is a committed animal‑rights activist, vegetarian advocate, and founder of the Mane Chance Sanctuary, reflecting her lifelong dedication to animal welfare. Her personal life includes a marriage to actor Madhav Sharma (1984‑1988) and a long‑term partnership with theatrical producer Bill Kenwright until his death in 2023.