# Jessica Harris (actress)

Jessica Harris (born 1981) is an English actress.

## Background

Jessica Harris 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.

## Career

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.

## Television

| Year | Title | Role | Other notes |
| 1995 | Heartbeat | Vicki | 1 episode: "Sophie's Choice" |
| 1998 | Heartbeat | Maureen Dodds | 1 episode: "Love Me Do" |
| 1998 | The Broker's Man | Jane | 1 episode: "Kith and Kin" |
| 2000 | Cold Feet | Student Two | 1 episode: Series 3, Episode 2 |
| 2000 | Fat Friends | Joanne Simpson | Recurring role |
| 2001 | Peak Practice | Teri | 1 episode: Series 12, Episode 1 |
| 2001 | Linda Green | Katy Green | Recurring role, 9 episodes, 2001–2002 |
| 2002 | Holby City | Kate McIntyre | 1 episode: "The Love That Binds" |
| 2002 | Sparkhouse | Tessa Gillespie | |
| 2002 | The Bill | Karen Best | 4 episodes, 2002–2003 |
| 2003 | Heartbeat | Kelley | 1 episode: "The High Life" |
| 2003 | Burn It | Kelly | Main cast member |
| 2004 | The Royal | Shirley Baird | 1 episode: "Hold on Tight" |
| 2004 | Doctors | Jess Simons | 1 episode: "Run Baby Run" |
| 2004 | Conviction | Hayley Bryant | 1 episode: Series 1, Episode 3 |
| 2006 | Holby City | Kerry Peters | 2 episodes: "I Am Not What I Am" and "Conscience" |
| 2006 | Wire in the Blood | Sally Hayter | 1 episode: "Time to Murder and Create" |
| 2006 | Doctors | Katrina Thompson | 1 episode: "Year of the Rat" |
| 2006 | Strictly Confidential | Vicky Melton | 1 episode: Episode 3 |
| 2007 | The Bill | Evie Barnes | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Thieves Like Us | Mel | Recurring role |
| 2009 | Being Human | Becca | 1 episode: Series 1, Episode 1 |
| 2009 | The Inbetweeners | Michelle | 1 episode: "Will's Birthday" |
| 2009 | Heartbeat | Ruthie Abbott | 1 episode: "Cashing In" |
| 2009 | The Bill | Kathy Merrill | 1 episode: "Twist of Fate" |
| 2012 | Starlings | Katie | Recurring role |

## Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Director | Performance history |
| 2005 | Bottle Universe | Lauren | Sue Dunderdale | Bush Theatre, 12 October–12 November 2005 |
| 2006 | Billy Liar | Rita | Phil Wilmott | Made in Liverpool/Liverpool Playhouse, 3–25 February 2006 |
| 2007 | Cocoa | Girl | Chris White | Theatre 503, 20 April–5 May 2007 |
| 2007 | Wuthering Heights | Catherine Earnshaw/Linton | Sue Dunderdale | Theatre Royal, York, 2–23 June 2007 |
| 2007 | The Pornographer Diaries | Female roles | Kate McCarthy | Have a Word Productions/C venues, Edinburgh Festival, 1–27 August 2007. |
| 2008 | Harper Regan | Justine Ross | Marianne Elliott | National/Cottesloe Theatre, 16 April–9 August 2008 |
| 2009 | Othello | Desdemona | Barrie Rutter | West Yorkshire Playhouse, national tour, February–December 2009. |