Suranne Jones, 46, first won over viewers with her standout role in Coronation Street before moving on to headline acclaimed dramas including Doctor Foster and Gentleman Jack, according to OK!

The actress is now set to return to our screens in her debut collaboration with American streaming behemoth Netflix in the gripping thriller Hostage, and has recently made a startling revelation about the part.

In Hostage, Suranne portrays British Prime Minister Abigail Dalton, who is confronted with an agonising dilemma when her spouse Dr Alex Anderson (portrayed by Ashley Thomas) is abducted and his captors insist on her resignation.

Dalton must attempt to decide between her loved ones and her nation, all whilst hosting a visit from French President Vivienne Toussaint (Julie Delpy), who is simultaneously being threatened by unknown forces.

The pair must collaborate to uncover the reality before their time expires.

Yet what do we truly understand about Suranne? We delve into the performer's life beyond the spotlight.

Suranne Jones' real name and theatrical discovery

Suranne was born in 1978 in Chadderton, Greater Manchester, and has an older sibling, Gary.

She was raised in the Catholic faith, and was christened as Sarah Anne instead of Suranne, the name of her great-grandmother, after her clergyman advised that Suranne was "not a proper name".

The TV personality initially encountered acting upon joining the Oldham Theatre Workshop, where she earned a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts.

Suranne Jones' serendipitous encounter with her husband via Coronation Street.

Suranne Jones is married to Laurence Akers, a freelance screenwriter and former magazine editor.

The couple first crossed paths in 2013 at the nuptials of her close pal Sally Lindsay, with whom she had formed a friendship whilst appearing on Coronation Street.

Suranne and Laurence exchanged vows the following year at Islington Town Hall in August 2014. Their son arrived in 2016.

Suranne's debilitating anxiety and mid-performance collapse

The actress is regarded as one of Britain's most accomplished performers, boasting an extraordinary portfolio that has seen her transition from submarine thriller Vigil to gripping drama Save Me, through to costume drama Vanity Fair.

Nevertheless, in 2018, the star withdrew from her theatrical production Frozen following a backstage collapse during the middle of a performance.

She subsequently issued an apology to her supporters and penned a touching Instagram message, revealing she felt "so dizzy" that her stand-in took over the matinee performance.

She continued to elaborate in her post: "I came back after an illness and it was perhaps too soon .. anyone who knows the show knows it is a highly draining piece and after 3 months and a sickness I just wasn't able to end the run."

Suranne was "gutted" and had received medical advice to withdraw to prevent further health complications, acknowledging that the material was "deeply affecting" and had "taken a toll" on her wellbeing. She further stated: "We as performers always think we can push through and carry on but sometimes we just can't."

In a later interview with The Guardian, she confessed that despite the positive reviews for her play Frozen, she had been feeling "edgy" and "nervous" around others.

In 2019, she told the publication: "You've got a 1,000-seater full of people staring at you. And when you feel the anxiety, breathlessness, it's just drilling right into your solar plexus and you think, f***. This is something I can't stop, not once the show's started."

Following this incident, Suranne took a break, practised yoga, quit social media and sought therapy.

She revealed that she now carefully considers her roles before committing to them.

"With every new job now, I'll consider the psychological side, I think. The content. Which I maybe didn't do before. I'll need to know that I can live in that place for a period of time," she elaborated.

Suranne has also previously discussed her mental health and how her anxiety reached its peak during the Covid-19 lockdown when she tragically lost her father in 2021 due to the virus.

During an appearance on Gaby Roslin's podcast in 2022, Suranne spoke about her struggle to return to normality following the lockdown and the various Covid protocols.

She admitted: "I suffer with anxiety anyway. I didn't know what the right thing to do was. When you are on set... and this still applies, the restrictions are really in place. 'Even when people were coming out of the restrictions. I was still in this bubble where everyone was still wearing masks and we were being very cautious."

She went on to explain how, after filming on Gentleman Jack, she was left anxious after returning home.

"It made me anxious to see everyone wondering around without masks on. I didn't know how to fit in," she said.

The star elaborated: "It is quite scary. All my jobs got concertinaed. Because of Covid. And my dad passing... I was away a lot.

"Even coming back and taking my son to school, or driving my car or getting everyone ready to get out the house.. those kind of things made me really anxious because I was suddenly back in the real world."

Suranne tragically lost her mother in 2016, who was battling vascular dementia, a condition which impacts blood circulation to the brain. The death took a toll on her mental health.

In a separate interview, Suranne disclosed to Fearne Cotton on her Happy Place podcast in 2021: "I'm on medication and, at some point, I'll aim to get off that."

She added: "I think there's a huge taboo around it and I wasn't going to say it but I decided last night I should because it's important I think."

Throughout the years, the actress has supported various charitable causes, including Christian Aid.

She previously journeyed to Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo alongside the organisation to help with initiatives concerning HIV, women's rights and child soldiers. More recently, she has partnered with the Alzheimer's Society and Penny Brohn UK, a cancer charity.

Reflecting on her teenage years when her mother Jenny was diagnosed with breast cancer, she shared: "At the time we did a breast cancer campaign together. I still do a lot of charity runs."

Hostage is streaming on Netflix now