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Fiona Allen: ‘The closest I’ve come to death? A trip in a black cab with John Worboys. I had a lucky escape’

The Guardian UK Saturday 01 August 2026, 09:00 UTC By Rosanna Greenstreet 1 min read
Key Points

The actor and comedian on her hatred of selfishness, her unhappy resting face, and why she dropped her agentBorn in Lancashire, Fiona Allen, 61, went to drama school in Salford. From 1999, she co-wrote and starred in the Emmy-winning and Bafta-nominated TV sketch show Smack the Pony. She had roles in Shameless, Skins, Waterloo Road and EastEnders, and her films include 24 Hour Party People, Fat Slags, Gladiatress and Finding Emily.

The actor and comedian on her hatred of selfishness, her unhappy resting face, and why she dropped her agent

Born in Lancashire, Fiona Allen, 61, went to drama school in Salford. From 1999, she co-wrote and starred in the Emmy-winning and Bafta-nominated TV sketch show Smack the Pony. She had roles in Shameless, Skins, Waterloo Road and EastEnders, and her films include 24 Hour Party People, Fat Slags, Gladiatress and Finding Emily. In 2023, she took her show On the Run to the Edinburgh festival fringe and later toured the UK. This year, she performs White Lies at Edinburgh’s Gilded Balloon Teviot from 5 to 29 August. She is married with three children and lives in Berkshire.

What is your greatest fear?
My kids navigating the world as it is today – and daddy longlegs.

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Fiona Allen (PERSON) John Worboys (PERSON) Lancashire (LOCATION) Salford (LOCATION) Emmy (PERSON) Bafta (ORG) Skins (PERSON) Waterloo Road (LOCATION) EastEnders (ORG) Edinburgh (LOCATION) UK (LOCATION) Gilded Balloon Teviot (ORG) Berkshire (LOCATION)
Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

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