Naomi Radcliffe

Naomi Radcliffe (born 16 November 1971) is an English actress. She was born in Oldham, Lancashire to Albert Radcliffe—a Canon of Manchester Cathedral—and Petrina, a teacher.^[1][2] She was educated at The Blue Coat School in Oldham and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, having not been accepted on her first attempt.^[1]

Her first professional stage appearance was in Be My Baby in 1997. Early television appearances include major roles in Kay Mellor's Band of Gold and Russell T Davies's The Grand, before she took the role of Alison Wakefield in the Granada Television soap opera Coronation Street.^[1] She remained on the soap for two years between 1998 and 2000. When her contract was not renewed, the character was written out in a scene that saw her commit suicide by jumping in front of a lorry. The scene, watched by 17 million viewers, won Radcliffe the British Soap Award for Best Exit.^[2][3] From 2002 to 2005, she played Jean Bradshaw in the BBC drama Born and Bred. In 2007 she played Bev in the BBC Three situation comedy The Visit.