Jessica Ellerby: Biography, Career, Movies, TV Shows and More

Jessica Ellerby has built a varied career across British television, film and theatre, taking on everything from comedy roles to dramatic parts. She is perhaps best known internationally for playing Jane in Lovesick, Amber Platt in Benidorm, and Queen Elizabeth II in Pennyworth. More recently, her screen credits have included Slow Horses, The Devil’s Hour, Grace and Patience.

What makes Ellerby’s career particularly interesting is that acting is only part of her creative work. She has also written and directed, including the short film The Hungry Games. Her background in theatre and training at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School have also helped shape a career that moves comfortably between stage, comedy and television drama.

Who Is Jessica Ellerby?

Jessica Anne Ellerby is an English actress and filmmaker who was born in Dubai and raised there by English parents. She later returned to England for her A Levels and studied at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Her professional career began in theatre before she expanded into film and television.

Her early stage work included Triptych at Southwark Playhouse in 2008, followed by appearances in productions including Dreamboats and Petticoats and A Chorus of Disapproval. This theatrical foundation gave her experience across different styles of performance before she became more widely recognized for screen roles.

Rather than being associated with one particular genre, Ellerby’s credits show considerable range. Her work includes sitcoms, comedy-dramas, crime series, short films and period-inspired television.

Jessica Ellerby’s Early Acting Career

Ellerby’s move from theatre into screen acting developed gradually. One of her early credited television appearances was in The Bill, while her film work included Get Him to the Greek and the horror film Hollow. She later appeared in Svengali as Alice.

Theatre remained an important part of her early career. Her West End debut came in Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre in 2010, and she subsequently appeared in Trevor Nunn’s production of A Chorus of Disapproval at the Harold Pinter Theatre.

This period is useful when looking at her career as a whole because it shows that her television work did not appear in isolation. Ellerby developed through stage performance before establishing a broader presence on screen.

Her Breakthrough Roles in Lovesick and Benidorm

For many viewers, Lovesick was the role that made Jessica Ellerby more recognizable. The Netflix series, originally titled Scrotal Recall, follows a group of friends and relationships while combining romantic storylines with comedy. Ellerby played Jane Ansell, a former girlfriend of Dylan, appearing across several episodes.

In 2016, she joined the main cast of Benidorm for its eighth series, playing Amber Platt. The role placed her in one of Britain’s established television sitcoms and allowed her to work within a very different comedic setting from Lovesick.

Other credits around this period included appearances in Inside No. 9, Endeavour, Hoff the Record, In the Club and SunTrap. Taken together, these roles demonstrate how she continued to work across different types of British television rather than being limited to a single format.

Jessica Ellerby as Queen Elizabeth II in Pennyworth

One of Ellerby’s most distinctive television roles came in Pennyworth, the DC-related series centered on Alfred Pennyworth before his association with Bruce Wayne. Ellerby portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in the series, appearing across 13 episodes between 2019 and 2021 according to available filmography records.

The part was a significant change from her earlier comedy work. It required her to play a recognizable historical figure within a fictional, stylized world. The role also brought Ellerby into a higher-profile genre production and became one of the performances most closely associated with her name.

Around the same period, she appeared as Stacee in the second series of Living the Dream. Her work in both productions illustrates the contrast in her screen career: she could move from broad comedy to a more dramatic period-style performance without being confined to one screen identity.

Her Work as a Writer and Director

Jessica Ellerby’s career is not limited to performing. She has also explored filmmaking behind the camera. In 2018, she wrote and directed the short film The Hungry Games, taking on multiple creative responsibilities rather than working solely as an actor.

In a 2019 interview, Ellerby discussed the relationship between acting, writing and directing, explaining that acting had come first professionally while writing and directing were newer parts of her creative life. She described her first short film as a project she had written, directed and produced.

That broader creative interest adds useful context to her career. Acting gives her the opportunity to interpret characters created by others, while writing and directing provide a way to shape stories more directly. For audiences interested in her work beyond mainstream television, these filmmaking credits are worth exploring.

Jessica Ellerby’s Recent TV and Screen Work

Ellerby’s career has continued beyond Pennyworth. More recent credits include appearances in Midsomer Murders, Grace, The Devil’s Hour and Slow Horses. She also appeared as Bethan Porter in the 2025 series Patience.

Her Slow Horses appearances are another example of the way she often contributes to ensemble television without necessarily playing the central character. She appeared as a Westacres news presenter in two episodes of the fourth series.

Her 2025 credit in Patience further shows that she remains active in British television. Rather than relying only on the roles that first brought her attention, Ellerby’s filmography continues to develop through guest appearances and supporting parts in established productions.

Jessica Ellerby’s Personal Life and Career Beyond Acting

Ellerby’s personal life has occasionally attracted attention because she is married to fellow actor Nick Hendrix. The couple married in July 2017. Hendrix is known for playing Detective Sergeant Jamie Winter in Midsomer Murders, among other television and theatre work.

Outside acting, Ellerby has also been associated with yoga and has professional qualifications as a yoga instructor. Available biographical sources describe this as another part of her professional interests.

Taken as a whole, her career is broader than a conventional acting biography might suggest. She has worked in theatre, film and television, experimented with writing and directing, and maintained interests outside screen performance. That variety helps explain why her filmography spans comedy, drama, crime, fantasy and short-form projects.

Conclusion

Jessica Ellerby’s career is a good example of how an actor can build a varied body of work without being defined by a single famous role. From her early theatre experience and appearances in films such as Hollow and Svengali to Lovesick, Benidorm and Pennyworth, she has steadily expanded her range.

Her more recent television appearances, including Slow Horses, The Devil’s Hour, Grace and Patience, show that her screen career remains active. At the same time, her work as a writer and director demonstrates an interest in storytelling beyond acting.

For anyone discovering Jessica Ellerby for the first time, Lovesick and Pennyworth provide two particularly useful starting points because they highlight very different sides of her acting range.

FAQs

Who is Jessica Ellerby?

Jessica Ellerby is an English actress and filmmaker known for British television, film and theatre. Her notable credits include Lovesick, Benidorm and Pennyworth.

What is Jessica Ellerby best known for?

She is particularly known for playing Jane in Lovesick, Amber Platt in Benidorm and Queen Elizabeth II in Pennyworth.

Was Jessica Ellerby in Lovesick?

Yes. Ellerby played Jane Ansell, a former girlfriend of Dylan, in several episodes of Lovesick.

Who did Jessica Ellerby play in Pennyworth?

She portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in Pennyworth, appearing in the series across its first two seasons.

Is Jessica Ellerby a writer and director?

Yes. In addition to acting, Ellerby wrote and directed the 2018 short film The Hungry Games. She has also discussed her interest in combining acting, writing and directing.

Is Jessica Ellerby married?

Yes. She married English actor Nick Hendrix in July 2017.

What recent shows has Jessica Ellerby appeared in?

Her more recent television credits include Slow Horses, The Devil’s Hour, Grace and Patience.