Death Valley's Liz Carr: 'Frightening' stabbing attack, marriage to author, Silent Witness exit, and disability fears: 'Will I die tonight?'
The former stand-up met her wife on the comedy circuit
Liz Carr made her name playing forensic examiner Clarissa Mullery in the BBC crime drama Silent Witness, but this week she gives policing a go in Death Valley.
As Clarissa, Liz fast became a favourite with fans, who were gutted when she left the long-running series after seven years. But she hasn’t been off our screens for long, having popped up in multiple TV dramas since. Liz even fronted the hard-hitting documentary Better Off Dead in 2024.
She may be more famous as an actor, but she’s also a vocal disability activist. Here’s a deep-dive into the life of Liz Carr, including her disability, TV and film roles, and marriage to author Jo Church.
What TV and film roles is Liz Carr famous for?
Liz Carr is perhaps best known for being an actress, but she’s also a comedian, and disability rights activist. This week, she plays Fiona Challoner in Death in Valley series 2.
She was in her 30s when she took on her first professional acting role. At that time, she played Mother Courage on stage. She later appeared at the Young Vic with another Bertolt Brecht play, The Exception and the Rule.
In 2013, she joined the long-running BBC One forensic drama Silent Witness as Clarissa Mullery. She left in 2020, after seven years. Liz subsequently played Tina in This Is Going to Hurt, and Fenn in The Witcher. More recently, she portrayed the angel Saraqael in Good Omens, and Judge Gamble in Loki.
Other notable roles include Dr Marlow Rhodes in The OA, a university lecturer in the mini-series Devs, and Meg in CripTales.
In 2021, Liz played Dr Emma Brookner in the West End revival of The Normal Heart at the Royal National Theatre. It was the first time a disabled person had played the role on stage. She subsequently won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
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Liz also appeared on Who Do You Think You Are? in 2020. She discovered her orphaned grandfather on her mother’s side, a naval WWI veteran involved in the Northern Patrol, Meanwhile, her paternal Irish great-great-great-grandfather, a revered tenant farmer, was involved in a Ribbonist plot to assassinate the local wealthy landlord! More drama than an episode of Silent Witness!
Why did Liz Carr leave Silent Witness?
Liz Carr played the hugely popular lab assistant Clarissa Mullery in the BBC crime drama. But she left the show at the end of series 23 in 2020. At that time, Clarissa told her colleagues that she was leaving to “focus less on the dead and more on the living”.
When Liz announced her exit, she said in a statement: “After eight years of getting to play the fabulous character Clarissa Mullery, I’ve decided it’s time to leave Silent Witness. To quote Clarissa, ‘I just know, deep down, that it’s time for me to move on, to focus less on the dead and more on the living. On life.”
She continued: “Silent Witness has given me such an amazing opportunity to develop as an actor. But I know this is the right time to take a leap of faith, leaving what I know and seeing what other opportunities await. It has been a rollercoaster of a ride, but I feel I’m leaving on an exhilarating high.”
Liz also admitted she was leaving to focus on new experiences, to travel and to focus on activism. The Beeb originally only employed Liz for four episodes as Jack Hodgson‘s side kick. However, she was so popular, she stayed for seven years!
Liz Carr presented BBC One documentary Better Off Dead?
In May 2024, Liz presented the BBC One documentary Better Off Dead? In it, she explored the repercussions of assisted suicide, and explained why it should NOT be legalised in the UK.
It’s a thorny debate, but one she’s not afraid to tackle. In the hour-long documentary, which is still available to watch on BBC iPlayer, she revealed why she’s a long-term campaigner against assisted suicide – because she fears disabled lives will be put at risk if the law is altered.
She travelled to Canada, where it is legal to offer medically-assisted death to the terminally ill and the disabled. There are measures in place that can end the lives of not just the terminally ill but people who are disabled and those who are offered a medically assisted death as a “way out” of social deprivation.
Back in the UK, Liz met influential voices calling for a change in the law, such as Labour peer Lord Falconer and Sunday Times columnist Melanie Reid. She also met fellow campaigners fighting to retain the status quo, including disabled peer Baroness Jane Campbell. She had a “Do Not Resuscitate” order placed on her for a routine illness without consent.
In a society where disabled people are often told they are “better off dead” than disabled, Liz asked: “Should we really be giving more power to end that group of people’s lives?” She argued the thought was “terrifying”.
What is Death Valley star Liz Carr’s disability? Can she walk?
Lizz Carr has been disabled from the age of seven. At that time, doctors diagnosed her with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita. She has used a wheelchair full-time since the age of 14, and cannot walk without help.
Arthrogryposis (AMC) describes congenital joint contracture in two or more areas of the body. It derives its name from Greek, literally meaning ‘curving of joints’. Joints are permanently fixed in a bent or straightened position. It is not a single diagnosis, but rather a descriptive term for more than 400 different syndromes.
Liz Carr previously admitted that she was told she wasn’t going to live very long. She told Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs: “I used to be a patient of a very fearful doctor, a big booming woman.
“I was scared. I was very ill. I would ask what’s going to happen? She would say ‘we don’t know, but you won’t live to be old’. It affected me. Every night before I went to bed, I’d ask my mum: ‘Will I die tonight?'”
How old is Death Valley’s Liz Carr? Where is she from?
Liz Carr was born on April 21, 1972, in Port Sunlight. However, she grew up in Bebington, Merseyside. She is currently 54 years of age.
Liz attended Upton Hall School FCJ in Upton, Merseyside, and Birkenhead High School in Birkenhead. She later studied law at the University of Nottingham, before pursuing a career in stand-up comedy and later career.
Who is Liz Carr’s wife Jo Church?
Liz is married to her long-term partner Jo Church, an author. The pair entered into the same-sex partnership in 2010, after meeting on the comedy circuit.
Actor Liz described their civil partnership – a Day of the Dead-themed celebration – as “A Wheelie Special Wedding”. The newlyweds pre-recorded their first dance, in which they performed to the Dirty Dancing theme. The local fire brigade even got involved when they held Liz and her chair in the air!
She previously told The Guardian: “When I got together with my wife, I was on the comedy circuit at the time, and I remember particularly the male comics being like, ‘You’re punching above your weight’.”
While discussing her dad’s wedding speech, the star continued: “He spoke about my becoming disabled without dwelling on it. He talked proudly about my disability activism, my comedy and my new wife. He joked about how I’d banned him from saying things like brave, inspirational and special. Everyone laughed, including me.”
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Death Valley actor Liz survives ‘frightening’ stabbing
On August 10 2017, a man in his 20s armed with scissors attacked Liz Carr and her personal assistant. He was subsequently arrested and detained under the Mental Health Act 2007.
Talking about the incident, which happened near London’s Euston station, she called it “very frightening” but admitted she was “relatively unscathed”.
She said: “Thanks to everyone who has sent their love and good wishes following last week’s stabbing. Just to reassure you that whilst it was very frightening at the time, I came out of it relatively unscathed and was even back home later that night.
“Looking forward to returning to filming on Silent Witness next week where thankfully all the violence is fake!”
Liz, who suffered minor cuts, added: “I want to say an extra thank you to the amazing paramedics, ambulance crew & A&E staff #SaveTheNHS.”
