AJ
Ashley Jensen
ActorBorn August 11, 1969 (55 years)
Ashley Jensen (born August 11, 1969) is a Scottish actress. She is best known for her roles as Maggie Jacobs in Extras (2005–2007, for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award), Christina McKinney in Ugly Betty (2006–2010), Agatha Raisin in Agatha Raisin (2014–present), and DI Ruth Calder in Shetland (2023–present). Jensen trained in Drama at Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University.
Her first significant television role was as Clare Donnelly, daughter of Glasgow criminal Jo-Jo Donnelly (played by Billy Connolly) in the 1993 BBC drama Down Among the Big Boys. In 1994, she played eccentric secretary Rosie McConnichy in the final series of BBC comedy May to December, as a replacement for the character of secretary Hilary (Rebecca Lacey), and Heather in Roughnecks, a BBC television series about workers on a North Sea oil platform. Jensen had a small role in a Dangerfield episode "Contact" as the mother of a young girl with meningitis. She then appeared as Fiona Morris in EastEnders. She also appeared in the 2003 BBC drama Two Thousand Acres of Sky.
Jensen co-starred alongside Ricky Gervais in the BBC Two/HBO television programme Extras as the socially inept Maggie Jacobs. For her work on the first series, she received best television comedy actress and newcomer awards at the 2005 British Comedy Awards. In 2006, Jensen received two British Comedy Awards and a BAFTA nomination for her role in Extras. Her role in the 2007 Christmas Special earned her an Emmy Award nomination. In January 2006 she starred in the short-lived drama series Eleventh Hour on ITV. Later that year she played Steve Coogan's agent in A Cock and Bull Story. In 2007, she provided the narration for the film Taking Liberties.
In 2014, she played the eponymous lead character in the television film adaptation of the M. C. Beaton novel Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death for Sky1. She also starred in the eight-part series that first aired on Sky1 on 7 June 2016.
In 2017, she starred in a six-part TV series for BBC TV, Love, Lies & Records, depicting the gritty life and entwined storylines working in Leeds Registry Office. In March 2019, Jensen reunited with Gervais in the Netflix black comedy series After Life, a role she continued for all three series. In April 2019 she played Debbie Dorell in the second series of BBC TV drama Trust Me. When an injured soldier discovers patients in his hospital ward dying, he attempts to investigate the suspicious deaths. Also in 2019, she played the voice of Jacqueline in Lady and the Tramp.
Her first significant television role was as Clare Donnelly, daughter of Glasgow criminal Jo-Jo Donnelly (played by Billy Connolly) in the 1993 BBC drama Down Among the Big Boys. In 1994, she played eccentric secretary Rosie McConnichy in the final series of BBC comedy May to December, as a replacement for the character of secretary Hilary (Rebecca Lacey), and Heather in Roughnecks, a BBC television series about workers on a North Sea oil platform. Jensen had a small role in a Dangerfield episode "Contact" as the mother of a young girl with meningitis. She then appeared as Fiona Morris in EastEnders. She also appeared in the 2003 BBC drama Two Thousand Acres of Sky.
Jensen co-starred alongside Ricky Gervais in the BBC Two/HBO television programme Extras as the socially inept Maggie Jacobs. For her work on the first series, she received best television comedy actress and newcomer awards at the 2005 British Comedy Awards. In 2006, Jensen received two British Comedy Awards and a BAFTA nomination for her role in Extras. Her role in the 2007 Christmas Special earned her an Emmy Award nomination. In January 2006 she starred in the short-lived drama series Eleventh Hour on ITV. Later that year she played Steve Coogan's agent in A Cock and Bull Story. In 2007, she provided the narration for the film Taking Liberties.
In 2014, she played the eponymous lead character in the television film adaptation of the M. C. Beaton novel Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death for Sky1. She also starred in the eight-part series that first aired on Sky1 on 7 June 2016.
In 2017, she starred in a six-part TV series for BBC TV, Love, Lies & Records, depicting the gritty life and entwined storylines working in Leeds Registry Office. In March 2019, Jensen reunited with Gervais in the Netflix black comedy series After Life, a role she continued for all three series. In April 2019 she played Debbie Dorell in the second series of BBC TV drama Trust Me. When an injured soldier discovers patients in his hospital ward dying, he attempts to investigate the suspicious deaths. Also in 2019, she played the voice of Jacqueline in Lady and the Tramp.
Filmography
| 2024 | Rikki · as Narrator |
| 2022 | Mayflies (TV Series) · as Anna |
| 2022 | Christmas on Mistletoe Farm · as Ms Fletcher |
| 2022 | Dog Squad (UK) (TV Series) · as Meagaidh (voice) |
| 2019 | Lady and the Tramp · as Jock (voice) |
| 2019 | After Life (TV Series) · as Emma |
| 2019 | How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World · as Phlegma (voice) |
| 2018 | Summer Camp Island (TV Series) · as Miss Mary (voice) |
| 2018 | Sherlock Gnomes · as Nanette (voice) |
| 2017 | Love, Lies & Records (TV Series) · as Kate Dickenson |
| 2017 | DuckTales (2017) (TV Series) · as Downey Mcduck (voice) |
| 2017 | Trust Me (2017) (TV Series) · as Debbie Dorrell |
| 2016 | The Secret Life of Kittens (TV Series) · as Narrator |
| 2016 | Facelifts and Fillers · as Narrator |
| 2015 | The Lobster · as Biscuit Woman |
| 2015 | Barney Thomson · as Detective Inspector June Robertson |
| 2015 | Insane Fight Club II - This Time It’s Personal · as Narration |
| 2015 | Catastrophe (2015) (TV Series) · as Fran |
| 2014 | Agatha Raisin (TV Series) · as Agatha Raisin |
| 2014 | Small Time · as Gail |
| 2013 | The Escape Artist (TV Series) · as Kate Burton |
| 2013 | Love and Marriage (2013) (TV Series) · as Sarah Paradise |
| 2013 | All Stars · as Gina |
| 2013 | Shetland (TV Series) · as Di Ruth Calder |
| 2012 | Sofia the First (TV Series) · as Arielf |
| 2012 | The Pirates! Band of Misfits · as The Surprisingly Curvaceous Pirate (voice) |
| 2011 | Hysteria · as Fanny |
| 2011 | Arthur Christmas · as Bryony (voice) |
| 2011 | The Reckoning (TV Series) · as Sally Wilson |
| 2011 | Gnomeo & Juliet · as Nanette (voice) |
| 2010 | How to Train Your Dragon · as Phlegma The Fierce (voice) |
| 2009 | Nativity! · as Jennifer Lore |
| 2009 | Accidentally on Purpose (TV Series) · as Olivia |
| 2008 | Harry Hill's TV Burp Gold · as Ds Rachel Young |
| 2007 | Taking Liberties · as Narration |
| 2007 | The Beautiful World of Ugly Betty · as Christina Mckinney |
| 2006 | Ugly Betty (TV Series) · as Christina Mckinney |
| 2006 | Eleventh Hour (TV Series) · as Rachel Young |
| 2005 | Meet The Magoons (TV Series) · as Policewoman #1 |
| 2005 | Extras (TV Series) · as Maggie Jacobs |
| 2005 | Tristram Shandy · as Lindsey |
| 2003 | Coming Up (TV Series) · as Rachel |
| 2001 | Two Thousand Acres of Sky (TV Series) · as Angie Raeburn |
| 2000 | Rebus (TV Series) · as Mhairi Henderson |
| 2000 | Clocking Off (TV Series) · as Babs Leach |
| 1999 | Topsy-Turvy · as Miss Tringham |
| 1996 | Silent Witness (TV Series) |
| 1995 | The Baldy Man (TV Series) · as Hairdresser |
| 1995 | Dangerfield (TV Series) · as Michelle Thomson |
| 1994 | Takin' Over the Asylum (TV Series) · as Kathleen |
| 1994 | The Tales of Para Handy (TV Series) · as Catriona Maclean |
| 1994 | Roughnecks (TV Series) · as Heather |
| 1993 | Down Among the Big Boys · as Claire Donnelly |
| 1992 | Rab C. Nesbitt Live · as Isobel / Rena |
| 1989 | May to December (TV Series) · as Rosie Mcconnachy |
| 1988 | Rab C Nesbitt (TV Series) · as 2nd Girl |
| 1986 | Casualty (TV Series) · as Stella |
| 1985 | Screen One (TV Series) · as Claire Donnelly |
| 1985 | EastEnders (TV Series) · as Fiona Morris |
| 1984 | Screen Two (TV Series) · as Betting Shop Cashier |
| 1984 | City Lights (1984) (TV Series) · as Moira |
| 1984 | The Bill (TV Series) · as Diane Wyre |
| 1983 | Taggart (TV Series) · as Agatha Ferry |