Person Biography:
Janice Connolly BEM was born on August 7, 1953, in Stockport, England. She left her hometown to study drama at Birmingham Polytechnic, now known as Birmingham City University. After graduating, Connolly became a drama teacher and social worker for Barnardos.
Connolly was part of the Birmingham independent music scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s, performing with the Surprises and the Evereadies at the Fighting Cocks in Moseley. She then developed her character Barbara Nice, a caricature of a middle-aged housewife and mother of five from Kings Heath, Birmingham. Barbara Nice is known for her audience interaction, acting as an agony aunt, and has been a staple of Connolly's stand-up comedy.
Connolly's character Barbara Nice was discovered by Peter Kay at the Palace nightclub in Levenshulme in 1997. She went on to appear in several of his television shows, including Phoenix Nights and Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere. Connolly has also performed stand-up comedy as Barbara Nice at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and has recorded a pilot for BBC Radio 2's Comedy Showcase series.
In addition to her work as Barbara Nice, Connolly has appeared in various television shows, including Coronation Street, That Peter Kay Thing, Thin Ice, and Dead Man Weds. She was awarded a British Empire Medal in the 2017 New Year's Honours list for her services to community arts in the West Midlands.
Connolly began portraying receptionist Rosie Colton in the BBC soap opera Doctors in 2022. She initially appeared on a temporary basis, but returned permanently in September 2024.
