Pippa Haywood

Pippa Haywood, born Philippa Jane Haywood on 6 May 1961 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, is an English actress celebrated for her versatility across comedy and drama. After attending Hatfield Girls’ Grammar School she honed her craft at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, emerging onto the television scene in the late 1980s with a role in the ITV drama serial The One Game. She quickly became a household name by portraying the beleaguered Helen Brittas in the beloved BBC One sitcom The Brittas Empire (1991–1997), a performance that showcased her talent for balancing slapstick mishap with heartfelt sincerity. Haywood’s comedic apex arrived with the role of the sharp‑tongued human resources director Joanna Clore in the cult series Green Wing (2004–2006), a part that earned her the 2005 Rose d’Or Award for Best Female Comedy Performance. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s she added voice work as Mrs Kitchen in the animated series Budgie the Little Helicopter and guest spots in The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Lewis and Agatha Christie’s Poirot, demonstrating an ability to pivot between humor and gravitas with equal ease. Beyond sitcoms, Haywood has built a robust résumé in drama, starring as Harriet in the hard‑hitting series Prisoners’ Wives (2012–2013) and Detective Superintendent Julie Dodson in Scott & Bailey (2012–2016), as well as delivering a memorable turn as Chief Superintendent Lorraine Craddock in the political thriller Bodyguard (2018). Her work extends to radio, where she succeeded Liza Tarbuck as Helen Golightly in BBC Radio 4’s Clare in the Community, and to the stage, with notable performances in productions such such as House & Garden, Private Lives and the Royal Court’s Wanderlust. Recent screen appearances include the Netflix period drama Bridgerton (as Mrs Colson), the adaptation of Magpie Murders (as Claire Jenkins), and a judge in the miniseries Best Interests (2023). Off‑screen Haywood is married to Malcolm V Newberry, with whom she shares two children, and the family resides in Gillingham, Dorset, where she continues to contribute to British television, film, and theatre with unwavering enthusiasm.