---
name: "Katherine Parkinson"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/katherine-parkinson"
fi1m_id: "katherine-parkinson"
imdb_id: "nm1817670"
tmdb_id: 74158
wikidata_id: "Q265208"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "9 March 1978"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 7
average_fi1m_score: 75
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-10-07T17:34:15.809863+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Katherine Parkinson

## Identity

Katherine Parkinson

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/katherine-parkinson
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** katherine-parkinson
- **IMDb ID:** nm1817670
- **TMDB ID:** 74158
- **Wikidata ID:** Q265208
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Parkinson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q265208, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1817670/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/74158

Actor. Born 9 March 1978 in Hounslow, Greater London, England, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 9 March 1978, Hounslow, Greater London, England, UK
- **Active:** 2005–present
- **Also known as:** Katherine Jane Parkinson, کاترین پارکینسون
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 7: 6 acting, 1 other
- **Average Fi1m score:** 75, as actor, over 6 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 78 (2), 2010s 74 (4), 2020s 80 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 78 to 72 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 2 of 6 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 3, Drama 3, Crime 1, Mystery 1, Sci-Fi & Fantasy 1, War & Politics 1
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Parkinson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q265208, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1817670/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/74158

## Streaming the US now

- **BritBox:** [*Extras*](https://film.one/tv/extras.md) (81), [*The IT Crowd*](https://film.one/tv/the-it-crowd.md) (76)
- **Disney+:** [*Rivals*](https://film.one/tv/rivals.md) (80)
- **Peacock:** [*Humans*](https://film.one/tv/humans.md) (74)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Katherine Parkinson

> Katherine Parkinson makes the apparently sensible woman worth watching for her own temper and disappointments. We rate her most when comedy leaves room for hurt; *Rivals* gives her both, though not enough time.

In *Rivals* (2024), Katherine Parkinson lets Lizzie Vereker be irritated and vain without making her hurt less important. There is plenty of flirting to attend to, but she gives us reasons to care about the woman doing it. We felt for Lizzie because Parkinson made those less agreeable feelings worth taking seriously. It is the quality we value most in her work: the apparently sensible woman gets to have troubles of her own, rather than simply look askance at everyone else.

The familiar casting took hold with Jen Barber, the IT manager in *The IT Crowd* (2006–2013), her television breakthrough. Playing the straight woman among eccentric colleagues requires timing as well as restraint, and Parkinson’s strength is to make that position funny without losing the vulnerability. *Doc Martin* (2005–2009) had given her the recurring role of receptionist Pauline Lamb; *Humans* (2015–2018) later gave her a dramatic lead as Laura Hawkins. We are interested in that shift towards drama because the vulnerability is already part of what makes her comedy work.

*Rivals* gives that combination a welcome place in an unabashedly adult soap. Alongside Nafessa Williams’s Cameron Cook and Bella Maclean’s Taggie O’Hara, Lizzie helps give the programme emotional stakes worth following through all the commotion. The caveat is the writing’s appetite for another strand: we wanted longer with these women, not another plot to service. Parkinson helps make the indulgence worthwhile, but there are stretches when the crowded storytelling becomes tiresome.

Theatre has remained part of her work alongside television, and Laura Wade wrote the play *Home, I’m Darling* (2018) with Parkinson in mind. That role, Judy, draws on her strength in work that combines comedy and drama. We would welcome more screen roles written with that kind of attention to her, especially ones that leave room for both temper and disappointment. Start with *Rivals*, and be prepared to resent the time spent away from Lizzie.

## Biography

Katherine Parkinson is an English actress. Born on 9 March 1978 in Hounslow, London, she studied classics at St Hilda’s College, Oxford, and trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

She is best known for playing Jen Barber in the Channel 4 series *The IT Crowd* (2006–2013), for which she won the BAFTA Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance in 2014 and British Comedy Awards. Other television roles include appearances in *Doc Martin* (2005–2009) and *Humans* (2015–2018). On stage she has performed in *The Seagull* (2007), *Cock* (2009) and *Home, I’m Darling* (2018), the last earning an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play. Film credits include *The Boat That Rocked* (2009) and *The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society* (2018). She played Lizzie Vereker in the series *Rivals* (2024).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, amp.theguardian.com.*

## On Fi1m (7)

### Performed in (6) — the average rests on these

- *Rivals* (2024), Fi1m 80, as Lizzie Vereker — [page](https://film.one/tv/rivals.md)
- *Humans* (2015), Fi1m 74, as Laura Hawkins — [page](https://film.one/tv/humans.md)
- *The Kennedys* (2015), Fi1m 60, as Brenda Kennedy — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-kennedys.md)
- *The Honourable Woman* (2014), Fi1m 80, as Rachel Stein — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-honourable-woman.md)
- *The IT Crowd* (2006), Fi1m 76, as Jen Barber — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-it-crowd.md)
- *Extras* (2005), Fi1m 81, as Woman in queue — [page](https://film.one/tv/extras.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Taskmaster* (2015), Fi1m 82, as Self — [page](https://film.one/tv/taskmaster.md)

## Complete filmography (53)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Here We Go: Our New Year’s Fireworks Fantasaganza* (2025), as Rachel Jessop
- *Dating Mark Silcox* (2025), as Claire
- *That Christmas* (2024), as Mrs. Forrest (voice)
- *Rivals* (2024), series, as Lizzie Vereker — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/rivals.md)
- *Here We Go: Mum's Classic Family Christmas* (2023), as Rachel Jessop
- *Significant Other* (2023), series, as Anna
- *National Theatre Live: Much Ado About Nothing* (2022), as Beatrice
- *Here We Go* (2022), series, as Rachel Jessop
- *The Nan Movie* (2022), as Nell
- *Spreadsheet* (2021), series, as Lauren
- *Sitting* (2021), as Mary · Writer
- *Paul Dood’s Deadly Lunch Break* (2021), as Clemmie
- *How to Fake a War* (2020), as Kate
- *Hitmen* (2020), series, as Kat Gaitskill
- *Radioactive* (2020), as Jeanne Langevin
- *Guitar Man* (2018), as Ms. Elanor
- *Defending the Guilty* (2018), series, as Caroline
- *Hang Ups* (2018), series, as Karen Muller
- *The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society* (2018), as Isola Pribby
- *Urban Myths* (2017), series, as Ange
- *The Kennedys* (2015), series, as Brenda Kennedy — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-kennedys.md)
- *Humans* (2015), series, as Laura Hawkins — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/humans.md)
- *Off the Page: Britain Isn't Eating* (2014), as Marion/Sarah
- *In the Club* (2014), series, as Kim
- *The Honourable Woman* (2014), series, as Rachel Stein — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-honourable-woman.md)
- *Duck Quacks Don't Echo* (2014), series, Actor
- *Sardines* (2014), as Rebecca
- *Inside No. 9* (2014), series, as Rebecca — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/inside-no-9.md)
- *The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff* (2012), series, as Conceptiva
- *Coma Girl* (2011), as Pip
- *Whites* (2010), series, as Caroline
- *The Great Outdoors* (2010), series, as Sophie
- *Sherlock* (2010), series, as Kitty Riley — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/sherlock.md)
- *Cooked* (2010), as (voice)
- *St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold* (2009), as Physics Teacher
- *Psychoville* (2009), series, Actor
- *The Boat That Rocked* (2009), as Felicity
- *The Old Guys* (2009), series, as Amber
- *Easy Virtue* (2008), as Marion Whittaker
- *The Secret Policeman's Ball 2008* (2008), Actor
- *How to Lose Friends & Alienate People* (2008), as PR Woman
- *Christmas at the Riviera* (2007), as Vanessa
- *Katy Brand's Big Ass Show* (2007), series, as Various
- *Fear, Stress & Anger* (2007), series, as Gemma
- *Hard to Swallow* (2007), as Katie
- *The IT Crowd* (2006), series, as Jen Barber — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-it-crowd.md)
- *Ahead of the Class* (2005), as Vicky Foley
- *Extras* (2005), series, as Woman in queue — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/extras.md)
- *Doc Martin* (2004), series, as Pauline Lamb
- *Casualty* (1986), series, as Helen Gibbons — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/casualty.md)
- *Horizon* (1964), series, as Narrator
- *The Dream Lands*, series, as Antonia
- *The Bride of Vernon*, as Mary Mae

## Gallery

- ![Katherine Parkinson](https://film.one/media/person/22131/gallery-09f91073b146.jpg) Katherine Parkinson — Theatre Tickets Direct, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Katherine_Parkinson_2016_%284hEKoqA3aK0%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Katherine Parkinson winning Actress in a Comedy at BAFTA TV Awards May 26 (2026)](https://film.one/media/person/22131/gallery-e24fdd507bce.jpg) Katherine Parkinson winning Actress in a Comedy at BAFTA TV Awards May 26 (2026) — JaceMerlyn, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Katherine_Parkinson_at_BAFTA_2026.jpg/1280px-Katherine_Parkinson_at_BAFTA_2026.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Katherine Parkinson winning Actress in a Comedy at BAFTA TV Awards May 26 (2026)](https://film.one/media/person/22131/gallery-c26e1a1c7514.jpg) Katherine Parkinson winning Actress in a Comedy at BAFTA TV Awards May 26 (2026) — JaceMerlyn, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Katherine_Parkinson_at_BAFTA_2026_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Katherine Parkinson](https://film.one/media/person/22131/gallery-41373b9b3adb.jpg) Katherine Parkinson — Image via TMDB
- ![Katherine Parkinson](https://film.one/media/person/22131/gallery-05cc993cf31d.jpg) Katherine Parkinson — Image via TMDB
- ![Katherine Parkinson](https://film.one/media/person/22131/gallery-4fb31b436e4e.jpg) Katherine Parkinson — Image via TMDB
- ![Katherine Parkinson](https://film.one/media/person/22131/gallery-e3156044a306.jpg) Katherine Parkinson — Image via TMDB
- ![Katherine Parkinson](https://film.one/media/person/22131/gallery-229a45f76292.jpg) Katherine Parkinson — Image via TMDB
- ![Katherine Parkinson](https://film.one/media/person/22131/gallery-91ab6b5b49d4.jpg) Katherine Parkinson — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/katherine-parkinson