Suranne Jones, the versatile actor known for Coronation Street, Doctor Foster, Gentleman Jack and a really good episode of Doctor Who, has opened up about experiences of bullying in a Letter To My Younger Self found in next week’s Big Issue.
Contrary to the formidable characters she often portrays, Jones’s own experiences growing up in Oldham, Greater Manchester were quite different. “I often play characters who don’t back down,” she told interviewer Jane Graham, “But as a teenager, I was still figuring out who I was. That journey wasn’t always easy.”
Discussing her experiences with bullying, Jones didn’t hold back. “The bullying I faced was relentless and terrifying. I constantly felt like I was standing out for all the wrong reasons. It was an ongoing battle between wanting to fit in and wanting to be myself.”
For Jones, there were times when it was difficult to look beyond those experiences when she was in the thick of them. “The bullying took away my confidence. It stopped the teenage Suranne imagining being successful or respected by other people,” she said. “Oddly though, she was ambitious, even when she didn’t have a lot of belief in herself. But if I went back to talk to that girl at school and tell her she was going to do all the things I’ve done, she’d say, ‘Are you kidding me? I’ve just been beaten up getting off the bus.’
“But then that girl went to college and found her people. Very early on I got the role of role of Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls at the Grange Art Centre in Oldham. I was like, ‘Oh my god, I’m not even a soprano’, but they didn’t care. They were just developing and encouraging people. And my confidence started to shine.”
It’s a story many will find relatable. In speaking openly about her past, Jones joins the conversation about bullying, emphasising the need for preventative measures and increased awareness. “Bullying isn’t confined to classrooms,” Jones pointed out, “It’s prevalent in different societal structures and that’s why our approach to tackling it needs to change. We can’t just tell children to ignore it. We need to empower them and cultivate understanding and respect in potential bullies.”
