Inside Ellis star Sharon D Clarke's life from Doctor Who criticism to industry racism

Sharon D Clarke, the former actress, is set to take centre stage in Channel 5's upcoming drama Ellis.

The show, which focuses on two detectives solving seemingly impossible cases, is scheduled to premiere on Thursday, October 31, at 8pm on Channel 5.

And with Ellis almost ready to debut, fans are curious to know more about its leading lady.

Early life

Born in Enfield, north London, in 1966, Sharon D Clarke was raised by a seamstress mother and a carpenter father who had migrated from Jamaica in the early 1950s. From an early age, she showed a passion for dancing, attending the Ivy Travers Dance School and later the Anna Scher Theatre.

Despite her parents' reservations about the stability of an acting career, Sharon pursued her dream after successfully auditioning for the Battersea Arts Centre.

Her illustrious career has seen her win three Olivier Awards for her performances in Amen Corner at the National Theatre, Caroline Or Change at the Playhouse, and Death Of A Salesman at the Young Vic.

Industry racism

In addition to her stage work, Sharon has also made a name for herself on television, with roles in Red, White and Royal Blue, Showtrial, and most recently Mr Loverman on BBC One.

The actress, fondly remembered for her 16-year stint as Lola Griffin in Holby City, has opened up about the challenges she faced with racism in the entertainment industry.

Recalling her experience at the 1996 Olivier Awards, she highlighted the lack of diversity, noting that she, actor Adrian Lester, and their families were the only black people present.

Speaking to the Guardian, she expressed her frustration with being typecast in television roles: "When I first started being seen for TV roles it was just endless nurses, because as far as society was concerned, that was what Black women did."

In an interview with Radio Times, the star of Ellis revealed why she took a break from television auditions: "I stopped auditioning for telly for a while because I didn't want to play a nurse simply because I'm black."

However, her role as the "opinionated" and "strong" surgeon Lola in Holby City marked a turning point for Clarke.

She also praised the impact of Netflix's Bridgerton on changing attitudes towards casting in period dramas: "This shift has been a long while coming, and it's a wonderful thing to see especially when it comes to period pieces.

"Bridgerton has done so much to show that they can reflect our multicultural society and it took an American to do it, because they don't have the same reverence towards these stories.

"But I have to see it continue. I don't want to be in a situation where I get all excited about a couple of years where we had all this new Black work come in and then it all disappeared."

Doctor Who criticism

Sharon also had a notable role as Grace in the iconic Doctor Who series and was well aware of the scrutiny surrounding actress Jodie Whittaker's portrayal of the Time Lord.

She shared her thoughts on the matter, stating: "To have those different generations of women in the TARDIS was glorious. A black woman, a white woman and a brown woman.

"The flack that Jodie [Whittaker] took for being the first female Doctor was ridiculous."

and citing a comment that little boys no longer had a role model as an example of the absurdity.

She continued: "And now Ncuti Gatwa is a funky, funny, charming, cheeky, sexy black Doctor.

"We're on the frontier of time, right here, right now, and we should always be pushing those boundaries."

Romance

Sharon is married to director Susie McKenna, whom she met while working on a production of Cinderella in 1999. The couple tied the knot on the stage of The Hackney Empire in 2008.

When asked about her experience with homophobia, Sharon replied: "I didn't come out till I'd talked to my late parents, and after that I wasn't afraid to talk about it at all.

"I'm very out! Everyone in the industry knows I'm married to Susie. I've been very, very lucky in that respect.

"It's important for me that shows like Lost Boys and Mr Loverman exist to help everyone understand that it's OK for some people to come out and not so easy for others. You have to let people do their own thing."

Ellis premieres on Thursday, October 31, at 8pm on Channel 5.