Jessica Harris
Acting
Biography
Jessica Harris is an Actress who was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England to Miles and Jo Harris. She grew up in the nearby towns of Hebden Bridge and Heptonstall, and attended Calder High School in Mytholmroyd. She graduated from the Calderdale College in Halifax with a National Diploma in Performing Arts. She later attended the Arts Educational School in London on a scholarship. Harris made her television debut in the late 1980s when she appeared in the children's educational series How We Used to Live, produced by Yorkshire Television. She later appeared in other Yorkshire series, such as Heartbeat. She has had other major television roles in Linda Green (as Katy Green), Burn It (as Kelly) and Thieves Like Us (as Mel). On stage, she has appeared in Bottle Universe (October–November 2005, Bush Theatre), Wuthering Heights (York Theatre Royal, June 2007) and The Pornographer Diaries (Edinburgh, August 2007). In 2009, she played Desdemona in a national tour of Othello, opposite Lenny Henry. Her performance in Othello was praised by Kate Kellaway of The Observer, who described her as "charming". Harris has appeared in the ITV police drama The Bill three times. She first appeared in 2002 as Karen Best, the sister of cast regular PC Gary Best. The role was a recurring one and she appeared in a number of episodes for a year. She next appeared in 2007 as an inmate who has an affair with a prison officer. Harris's most recent role in the series came in 2009 when she appeared as Kathy Merrill, a sister of murder victim.
Known For
Set during the 1960s in the fictional North Yorkshire village of Aidensfield, this enduringly popular series interweaves crime and medical storylines.
Heartbeat
Peak Practice is a British drama series about a GP surgery in Cardale — a small fictional town in the Derbyshire Peak District — and the doctors who worked there. It ran on ITV from 10 May 1993 to 30 January 2002 and was one of their most successful series at the time. It originally starred Kevin Whately as Dr Jack Kerruish, Amanda Burton as Dr Beth Glover and Simon Shepherd as Dr Will Preston, though the roster of doctors would change many times over the course of the series. Cardale was based on the Staffordshire village of Longnor for the final series, but was previously based in the Derbyshire village of Crich, although certain scenes were filmed at other nearby Derbyshire towns and villages, most notably Matlock, Belper and Ashover.
Peak Practice
Deciding to turn over a new leaf, a group of friends who also happen to be vampires and werewolves move into a house together, only to find that it is haunted by ghosts of people who have been killed under mysterious circumstances. As they deal with the challenges of being supernatural creatures, their desire to be human bonds them.
Being Human
Suburban teenage friends Will, Simon, Jay and Neil, students at Rudge Park Comprehensive, attempt to navigate the social scene, attract members of the gentler sex, and saunter amongst the cool crowd. However, despite their best efforts, the four hapless lads usually end up on the side of the nerds.
The Inbetweeners
Clinical psychologist Dr Tony Hill's uncanny ability to see into the minds of murderers means he finds it difficult to distance himself from disturbing cases.
Wire in the Blood
Fat Friends is an ITV drama created by Kay Mellor, broadcast from 12 October 2000 to 24 March 2005. It follows a group of overweight people, their laughter and pain and addresses the absurdities of dieting in our modern age. It examines people and how they relate to one another and use body weight as an excuse for all sorts of failings in their relationships, or not living their lives to the full. Four cast members—Ruth Jones, James Corden, Sheridan Smith, and Alison Steadman—went on to appear in Gavin & Stacey.
Fat Friends
Carl, Jon and Andy have been mates forever. They are Generation X-hardened party animals but their party train is grinding to a halt. Andy is getting married. They never thought it would come to this. They have spent 10 years running away from responsibility but now they've reached 30 it has suddenly hit them between the eyes.
Burn It
Linda's a Manchester girl, born and bred. She's in her early 30s and the friends she has now are the same friends she's had since primary school. By day she potters around in Craven Lane Motors selling cars and flirting with mechanics. But when night time comes around she can usually be found singing her heart out on stage at the Lee Lane Social Club. Her best friend Michelle may be settled and happy with her boyfriend and kids, but Linda's single and loving it. She may not have found Mr Right just yet, but she's having a whale of a time while she's looking.
Linda Green
Follows the staff and patients of a Yorkshire cottage hospital in the 60s, embroiled in tangled love lives and bitter power struggles.
The Royal
This is a British movie set in Brighton. It shows teenage angst and female gang behaviour. The leader of the gang is Hayley (Lara Belmont) and the other gang members are Jo (Beccy Armory), Anna (Sarah French-Ellis) and Lauren (Jessica Harris). They roam the streets of Brighton stalking single men, seducing and then robbing them. Hayley meets a policeman, Daniel (Nick Moran), and becomes fixated on him. She dreams of becoming his girlfriend/lover. Daniel has a shoe fetish and lets himself be seduced by Hayley. The end result is not what he envisages.
Ashes and Sand
Two members of a right wing political party are on the campaign trail in a housing estate. During the course of a day knocking on doors, it becomes clear they have differing motivations for being there.