Sue Johnston delved into the secrets of her family tree in ITV's intriguing series, DNA Journey. The 80-year-old star discovered she is related to both a war hero who advocated for housing rights of veterans, and an aristocrat with ties to the monarchy's horse-racing circle.
Beloved for her iconic television roles, including Sheila Grant in Brookside and Barbara Royle in The Royle Family, Sue Johnston has carved an indelible mark on British TV. She graced the cobbles of Weatherfield as Gloria Price on Coronation Street, earning her household name status among soap aficionados.
Before hitting the spotlight, Johnston's life was far from glamorous, she started out as a Higher Grade tax inspector. At that time, she was romantically linked to a member of the Swinging Blue Jeans band and also worked briefly for the legendary Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein.
Johnston ventured into the world of acting at the age of 21 after enrolling in the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. However, it wasn't until the age of 38 that viewers first saw her on screen in a minor role on Coronation Street - show she would one day rejoin in a much larger capacity.
Her personal journey includes marriage to Neil Johnston in 1967, which unfortunately saw the couple face heartbreak with a miscarriage after she fell pregnant at 24, leading to a subsequent divorce, though she retained his surname.
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Happiness found her again when she tied the knot with David Pammenter in 1976, and they went on to have a son named Joel.
A doting grandmother to two grandkids, Johnston once disclosed to The Sun her practical reasons for joining Coronation Street: "My son lives in Manchester and he's just had my first grandchild. So it made sense to be working where the baby is."
Growing up as an only child, she appreciates the time spent with her family now, but insists she never felt isolated in her youth.
In an interview with The Guardian, she recalled: "I had lots of cousins who lived nearby, so I could enjoy a large extended family as well as my own company."
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She added: "I'm gregarious but I still like isolation to this day."
Her autobiography, Things I Couldn't Tell My Mother, reveals that her parents initially intended to name her Margaret Jane Wright, after her mother and grandmother, but her father ultimately decided on the name Susan.
DNA Journey airs on ITV on Wednesday at 9pm
