Katy Manning

Actress

Katy was born in Guildford, daughter of writer JL Manning OBE. Trained as a dancer, she then attended the Webber Douglas School of Dramatic Arts.

Her television career began with the groundbreaking John Braine series, Man at the Top. During this, Katy was offered the role of Josephine Grant in Dr Who with the unforgettable Jon Pertwee. Douglas Camfield – director of many Dr Who’s, cast Katy in an Armchair Theatre and Target with Patrick Mower. She also hosted her own Arts and Crafts program Serendipity.

Katy’s career has spanned over 40 years and three countries. Theatre work includes West End plays, such as Why Not Stay For Breakfast, with Derek Nimmo, There’s a Girl in my Soup, So Who Needs Men, How the Other Half Loves, Bedroom Farce by Alan Ayckbourn and Run For Your
Wife with Bernard Cribbins, David Macallam and Eric Sykes.

Katy joined the Young Vic for Hamlet, Ophelia, Real Inspector Hound and Rozencrantz & Guidenstern are Dead.

In Australia she played the Sydney Opera House in productions such as Blythe Spirit, Educating Rita, The Odd Couple with Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, Otherwise Engaged with Martin Shaw and See How They Run with Andrew Sachs.

While in Australia she hosted her own UKTV interview show with guests including Lenny Henry, Simon Peg, Robson Greene, Cleo Laine and Mr. Basil Brush.

Katy has voiced numerous cartoons and won several awards including Best Supporting Actress at the Melbourne Film Festival, as well as European awards as the voice of the ten-year-old Gloria in the animated cartoon Gloria’s House. She has directed Banjo Patterson, Shirley Valentine and two Australian musicals.

Katy has extensive audio recordings for Big Finish as Iris Wildethyme, Jo Grant and the Companion Chronicles. Katy wrote and performed Not A Well Woman in New York and LA and has now recorded it as an audio for Big Finish.

Katy also performed her one-woman show Me and Jezebel, a true story of Bette Davis directed by partner Barry Crocker. The show was brought to the New End Theatre in Hampstead, London to great critical acclaim, followed by another very successful season at the Edinburgh Festival.

Katy recently returned as Jo Grant some forty years on, in the New Sarah Jane Adventures, alongside Matt Smith, the late Elizabeth Sladen and written by the incredible Russell T Davis. Iris Wildethyme box sets, the audio of Dorian Gray, Ghost Train, The Scorchies (first musical Companion Chronicles) and has finally been immortalized in two five inch figurines!

Her recent theatre work includes Agatha Christie’s A Murder Is Announced, Death By Fatal Murder and Murder in Play.

For the US and Australia, Katy recently voiced a feature length animation playing the title role of Oakie a nine month old puppy dog.

Katy has just finished the latest release from Big Finish, The Ghost in the Machine and the
final box set of Iris Wildthyme Adventures, including an after staged reading with with
Susan Penhalligon of new play by Philip Meeks Keeping up with the Joans, which debuts
at the Edinburg festival in 2014.

She was also part of the wonderful 50th of Doctor Who big BBC celebration now televised
in 99 countries around the world!

Katy’s twins Georgie and JJ now both live in London.

Contact

Misty Moon Event

  • An Evening With Katy Manning – 11th October 2014