Sue Johnston, the 82-year-old actor best known for her roles in The Royle Family and Brookside, stars in a new BBC sitcom titled Ann Droid, created by Diane Morgan and Sarah Kendall. The show follows a recent widow named Sue, played by Johnston, who receives a humanoid robot named Linda, portrayed by Morgan, after her son moves out. The robot is an outdated model that lacks advanced intelligence, leading to comedic moments such as blasting the song Cotton Eye Joe to cheer people up. However, the pair develop a deep bond. Johnston describes the series as “rich with humour and love,” adding that watching it back was so absorbing that “I forgot it was me – I very rarely do that and I just enjoyed it.”
Johnston’s Connection to Diane Morgan and the Role
Johnston’s enthusiasm for Ann Droid stems partly from her admiration for Morgan, whom she met on the set of the Sky sitcom Rovers before Morgan’s rise to fame with Philomena Cunk and Motherland. The two kept in touch, bonding over their love for dogs. Johnston compares Morgan to the late Caroline Aherne, saying, “They’ve got that northern, straight-face, cut-through humour. And they’re geniuses.” Morgan, in turn, notes that there was “only ever Sue Johnston that I wanted for this role,” even naming the character Sue after her. Morgan praises Johnston as “so adept at comedy but … also incredibly moving in the more emotional scenes.”
Personal Reflections on Loneliness and Independence
Johnston finds parallels between her character and her own life. She acknowledges “the loneliness thing” that creeps in with age, despite having a full life. After a fall last year, her son wanted her to move closer to him, but she remains “fiercely independent.” She jokes that if her son could have gotten her a robot, he would have. The actor also notes the “self-recognition” in the role, although she clarifies that she lost her husband through divorce years ago, not death.
Recent Roles and Energy Levels
Johnston has recently appeared in several prestige television series about the elderly, including Ben Wheatley’s comedy horror Generation Z, where she played a pensioner turned zombie, and Truelove, about a group of old friends who decide to help each other die. When asked about her energy, she admits, “No,” then laughs. “I’m all right when I’m at work … but when I’m not working, I’m buggered.” She attributes the abundance of meaty roles for older actors to the rebellious generation of the 1960s, which broke societal traditions and led to greater representation in popular culture.
Career Trajectory and Early Fame
Johnston shot to fame at age 38 in Brookside in 1982, a shock that she says made her a celebrity against her wishes. She had already worked as an actor for decades, including 11 years in theatre and education. She believes that performing for schoolchildren taught her emotional authenticity, as “kids can see right through you – and will say!”
Ann Droid’s Themes and AI Perspectives
Ann Droid is set a few years in the future, where robots have decimated the job market, and Sue’s son Michael, played by Paul Ready, is made redundant by a machine. The show portrays robots as loyal and egoless, while humans, except Sue, are disappointing. Filming the series made Johnston view robots with more affection, but she remains ambivalent about AI. “I feel 50/50 about it. There is a danger it could fall into the wrong hands because there’s a lot of wrong hands around at the moment.”
Memories of The Royle Family and Caroline Aherne
Johnston recalls the camaraderie on the set of The Royle Family, where the cast would stay on the sofas between takes, “nattering and laughing.” They had a “naughty corner” for those who laughed or forgot lines, which eventually became a cell-like structure built by the carpenters. Johnston still feels the loss of Caroline Aherne, who died in 2016. She keeps a painting of Aherne at the bottom of her stairs and greets it every morning. “It’s horrendous,” she says of the loss.
Future Work and Fears of Drying Up
Johnston recently wrapped series three of Sherwood, playing an “old-school working-class woman – a battleaxe,” and has nothing else in her diary. She admits to the common actor’s fear that the phone will stop ringing. “You finish the job and you say: ‘Great, I can’t wait to be on the sofa with the dog.’ Then two weeks later you think: ‘Oh, that might be my last job.’” Despite this, her talent suggests she won’t be idle for long. Ann Droid starts on 17 July at 9.30pm on BBC One.
