Blue Lights star Siân Brooke: Her award-winning actor husband, and real link to police force
Helen Fear | 12:01am Mon 29 SepSiân Brooke returns as Grace Ellis in Blue Lights series 3, and she has a real life connection to the police force.
The actress plays a response officer, who works one of the hardest beats in Belfast’s police force. Being a frontline response cop comes with unique pressures and dangers. As we saw in the brilliant first series in 2023.
It’s no wonder the BBC renewed the series quickly for a second, third and fourth series. And that’s largely thanks to Siân Brooke’s relatable character, and her totally understandable feelings for partner Stevie Neil (Martin McCann).
In real life, Siân is very happily married to her award-winning husband, with whom she has two children. Here’s everything you need to know about Blue Lights actress Siân Brooke.
Who plays Grace Ellis in Blue Lights?
Actress Siân Brooke portrays Grace Ellis in Blue Lights series 1 to 3.
She first played the role in series 1, which aired on BBC One in March 2023. The six-parter followed three new recruits to Belfast’s police force – and was a huge hit.
ED! nominated the series for Stand-Out Drama of 2o23. But it was pipped to the post by another excellent BBC crime drama. Happy Valley won Stand-Out Drama of 2023 by 60% of the votes.
In series 1 of Blue Lights, probationer Grace had made a huge career change from social worker to police officer. Unable to separate her head from her heart, she tried to help a fellow single mother, whose son has fallen in with a notorious gang.
Siân said at the time: “Grace has a 17-year-old son and is juggling being a mum, a single parent, and learning to do a new, challenging job at the same time.”
In series 2, Grace’s son was at university, and not living at home anymore. A year into the job, Grace and the team faced a drug-fuelled crime wave that led them into a loyalist estate. Meanwhile, a violent clash put Stevie and Grace’s working relationship at risk.
Series 3 catches up with Grace, Annie and Tommy two years into their jobs as response officers. They are now accustomed to life under the blue lights… But, we’re told, “their work takes them into a sinister world hidden behind the veneer of middle-class life, the world of the accountants and lawyers who facilitate organised crime”.
Siân Brooke’s movies and TV shows
Actress Siân Brooke has been on our screens 2002, when she played Krista in dinosaur drama Dinotopia. She later went on to play Laura in Rik Mayall comedy All About George, and Lori in the 2007 drama Cape Wrath.
The Welsh TV star has also popped up in the likes of A Touch of Frost, Foyle’s War, Hotel Babylon, The Fixer, Midsomer Murders, Vexed, and Doc Martin.
More recently, TV viewers will recognise Siân Brooke from her role as Megan McKee in No Return, opposite Sheridan Smith. She is also known for playing Karen Newman in Trying, and the ill-fated heir-producing Queen Aemma Arryn in House of the Dragon.
She played Cressida Dick in the hard-hitting drama Stephen, Claire McCall in Guilt, and Deirdre Young in Good Omens.
Other notable roles include Eurus in Sherlock, Sophia Cracroft in The Terror, Siân in Doctor Foster, Natalie Brown in The Moorside, and Martine in Not Safe for Work.
She’s appeared in multiple films including Body of Water, The Cure, Radioactive, and Pond Life. Siân has also appeared in dozens of theatre productions, and radio shows.
How old is Siân Brooke? Why did she change her name?
Siân Brooke was born Siân Elizabeth Phillips in 1980, and is currently 45 years of age.
She changed her real name to avoid confusion with Welsh actress Siân Phillips. She reportedly chose the surname Brooke after an English Civil War general Lord Brooke who was killed at Lichfield, where she was born.
Where is she from? Is she Welsh?
Siân Brooke was born in Lichfield, Staffordshire, but identifies as Welsh. Both her parents are Welsh.
The youngest of three siblings, Siân is the daughter of a police officer and a teacher.
She went to The Friary School in Lichfield, before becoming passionate about acting and joining the Lichfield Youth Theatre at the age of 11. She later became a member of the National Youth Theatre, and subsequently trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Siân graduated in 2002.
Who is the husband of Blue Lights star Siân Brooke?
Actress Siân Brooke is married to Bill Buckhurst. Her husband Bill is an award-winning theatre, TV and film director, who started out as an actor.
He’s served as a director on Hollyoaks since 2022, directing 10 episodes. His recent production of Dave Malloy’s Ghost Quartet at the Boulevard Theatre received the 2020 Off West End Award for Best Director of a Musical.
His production of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd transferred to the West End and Barrow Street Theatre, NYC, where it won multiple awards.
In 2021, he directed Whoopi Goldberg and Jennifer Saunders in Sister Act The Musical, at London’s Hammersmith Apollo. He also directed his wife Siân in his debut feature film, Pond Life.
Bill trained as an actor and performed at the RSC, the West End, Royal Court, Shakespeare’s Globe and on film and TV. His TV roles include performances in Murphy’s Law, MI-5, Holby City, Coronation Street, Bad Girls, and EastEnders. His most notable film role is probably Ronson in the James Bond film Skyfall.
Does Siân Brooke have children?
Siân and her husband Bill have two children together. They have two sons – Archie Buckhurst , and Ben Buckhurst.
The family live together in south-west London, with their super cute pooch.
The actress often posts sweet pictures of her family life on her official Instagram page, where she describes herself as “Midlander. Moma. Pretender.”
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Her work for The Glacier Trust
The Blue Lights actress is a volunteer ambassador for the climate change adaptation charity The Glacier Trust. She joined the cause in 2017.
Talking about the charity, she said: “Climate change is so often talked about as something that will have an impact ‘in the future’, but it is already affecting people’s lives and we need to help them today.
“The Glacier Trust is doing this in Nepal, enabling some of the most remote Himalayan communities to adapt to the changing conditions; it is great to be involved. We need to do more to raise awareness and support for those already suffering from climate change.”
How is Blue Lights star Siân Brooke linked to the police in real life?
Siân Brooke is the daughter of a policeman who worked his way up from neighbourhood bobby to CID. So she recognised aspects of the police world in Blue Lights.
Speaking to the Independent, she said: “It was normal for me, seeing my dad going out with his uniform on then coming back for a cuppa and some banter with his colleagues.”
However, she admits she never worried about her dad’s safety, adding: “I was quite naive. He only told us the things that happened later. ‘Oh, my God, you were dealing with that?’ But he had integrity, honesty and tried to make his small part of the world a bit better, like Grace. And he absolutely loves the show, thankfully.”
Talking about the current state of policing, Siân said: “Policing is in a very odd place at the moment. It’s been saddening and shocking to hear what’s been happening. Community policing is the biggest thing: more funding and more presence, getting to know your people and area. But they don’t need me telling them what to do. I’ll leave it to the experts.”
Does Grace get killed off in Blue Lights?
Talking about Blue Lights series 2, Siân teased that more shocking twists were yet to come after the devastating death of Richard Dormer’s character Gerry.
She told Radio Times: “It’s a worry that you might be next, and you never know. After series 1 with Gerry, you just don’t know what’s going to happen. If I had a pound for every time someone said, ‘Why did they kill off Gerry?’ and, ‘Are Stevie and Grace going to get together?’, I would be a millionaire!
“When series 2 landed on our laps we were all looking through it, thinking, am I going to survive? But you’ll have to wait and see!”
On the will-they-won’t-they relationship between Stevie and Grace, she added: “In series 2, they’ve decided to follow their heads not their hearts and concentrate on their job. But whether they’re successful in that, you’ll have to find out!”
Of course, in series 2, Grace survived and DID get together with Stevie. So cute!
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