Jo Joyner

Jo Joyner
Jo Joyner
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2001–present
Spouse	Neil Madden (2007—)

Jo Joyner, BA (born 24 May 1980) is an English actress who is best known for her role as Tanya Branning in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, in which she has appeared since June 2006.

Career

Since arriving on EastEnders in 2006, Jo as Tanya Branning has been at the heart of the action in Albert Square and has had a wide scope of storylines; the episode in which the character of Tanya discovered her husband Max Branning's affair with Stacey Slater was watched by 14.3 million people. It was the highest rated television broadcast of 2007 and went on to be nominated for a BAFTA Award and Jo, the storyline and the episode were awarded at the 2008 British Soap Awards.

Before starring in EastEnders, her most noted role was as Beth Nicholls in the popular nursing drama No Angels. She had also starred as Lynda Moss, in two episodes of Doctor Who ("Bad Wolf" and "The Parting of the Ways", BBC One, June 2005).

Joyner has also appeared in the feature-length drama Night Flight, and on television in Fat Friends, Silent Witness, Clocking Off, the 2004 BBC adaptation of North and South and as one of the stars of the Five comedy sketch show Swinging (2005–date). For her performances in the latter Joyner won a Rose d'Or international award for 'Best Female Comedy Performer'.

She also featured briefly in a sub-plot of the two-part drama The Second Coming (ITV1, 2003). Her character has a bigger role in cut scenes that feature as extras on the DVD. Also in 2003, Joyner appeared in Series Two, Episode Five of Spooks, as a firefighter named Stephanie Mills^[1].

After taking "A" levels at Stratford Upon Avon College Jo took a degree in English Literature and Theatre Studies at the Welsh College of Music and Drama, a department of Cardiff University and home to the Welsh National Opera. She graduated with a BA Hons and the year Prize for Acting. Joyner played 'Lex', a violent girl gang member in the award winning play 'Raw' by Chris O'Connell, produced by Theatre Absolute at the Edinburgh Festival in 2001 and in the subsequent National Tour. She also played a male role in Brendan Behan's play The Hostage and appeared in The One With the Oven, at the Royal Court Theatre.

Awards and nominations

Joyner has won a multitude of awards from highly prestigious international awards to minor magazine voted prizes.

2006

Won an international Rose d'Or for her comedy performance in Swinging. She was named 'Best Female Comedy Performer'. Her award here meant she was inducted to the elite Golden Rose of Montreux hall of fame.

2007

Nominated at the National Television Awards in the category of 'Most Popular Newcomer'.

2008

Won at the Digital Spy Soap Awards in the category of 'Most Popular Actress'
Won 'Best Dramatic Performance' in the British Soap Awards 2008
Won 'Best Slap', 'Best Tearjerker' and 'Best Secret Reveal' at the 2008 All about Soap Bubble Awards.
Nominated at the British Soap Awards in the category of Best Actress.
Nominated within the top four for 'Best Soap Actress' at the TV Quick/TV Choice awards 2008.
Nominated at the 2008 Inside Soap Awards for 'Best Actress'.

Personal life

Joyner was born in Essex but grew up in the Midlands. Her parents are Anne and Peter, and she has an older brother, Dan. Joyner lives with her husband, actor Neil Madden. They married on 14 July 2007 and currently share a home in London. Her height is 5'2". In 2008, she told internet users that she did not have any Facebook, MySpace or Bebo accounts when it was revealed that people were posing as her online and posting false information. Jo also studied at Stratford-upon-Avon college, with Simon Pegg.