She was born in Ealing, London and grew up in Wythenshawe, Manchester.
She studied drama at Liverpool Polytechnic. She worked as a secretary at the BBC before finding national fame in the mid-1990s with the Mrs. Merton Show.
[Accepting an award for "The Royale Family", with the cast around her] We were talking about this back at the table, and Ricky said 'Don't say anything about your suicide attempt!'[Ricky Tomlinson laughs. Applause.]
My brother and I were born with cancer of the eyes, the retina, and my mum told us that only special people get cancer. I must be very special, because I have had it in my lungs and my bladder as well.