An Audience with Julie Hesmondhalgh

Julie was born and brought up in Accrington, Lancashire and studied at LAMDA. She was a member of Arts Threshold Theatre in London in the 90s and is co-founder of the political theatre company Take Back in Manchester, her home city. She is best known for her award-winning role as Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street, a part she played for 16 years. She has since worked extensively in theatre (Punch, Wit, Mother Courage, Black Roses, The Greatest Play in the History of the World, There are no beginnings), TV and film (Mr Bates vs the Post Office, Alma’s Not Normal, You & Me, The Pact, Broadchurch, Happy Valley, Black Roses, Dr Who, Inside No 9, Catastrophe, Cucumber, Peterloo) and radio, where she is a regular voice on Radio 4. She co-runs 500 Acts of Kindness, a fundraising community who have given out over half a million pounds in grants.

Her Working Diary was published by Methuen in 2019, and An Actor’s Alphabet: An A-Z of Stuff I’ve Learnt and Stuff I’m Still Learning in 2023.

Noreen recently finished up her work as lead director on ITV’s Ridley with West Road Pictures. Prior to this Noreen worked on the previous series of the show. Noreen directed all four eps of Compulsion for Ch5. Noreen has directed on the previous two series of Call The Midwife. Prior to this Noreen was the lead director on BBC’s PITCHING IN. Noreen has directed an array of serial dramas and one offs, including Jimmy McGovern’s BROKEN for BBC1 starring Sean Bean, OUR GIRL, SCOTT & BAILEY, MOVING ON and THE DUMPING GROUND. She has been a series director on Coronation Street, and was awarded a BAFTA in 2014 year for an episode she directed.