Suzanne Packer is probably most famous for playing life-saver Tess Bateman in Casualty – and her character in The Night Caller might need some serious help soon, too!
The actress currently stars as Rosa in the contemporary thriller based in Liverpool. It follows a lonely taxi driver, whose develops a growing obsession with a late-night Radio DJ. Let’s just say the situation escalates with a capital E.
It’s one of several big roles that Suzanne has taken on since leaving the BBC medical drama series… So why and how did she leave Casualty, who is her famous brother, and what happened with her actor husband?
Here’s everything you need to know about The Night Caller actress Suzanne Packer.
Who plays Rosa in The Night Caller?
Actress Suzanne Packer plays Rosa in The Night Caller on Channel 5. Rosa works in the local cafe where late night taxi driver Tony often pops into, and the pair subsequently form quite a close bond.
She may work in the cafe, but she dreams of something more after a bad break-up with an abusive ex. She and Tony (Robert Glenister) have this in common – they are both disillusioned with their lives.
Tony’s in his 50s and drives a black cab, doing the night shift in the city. He used to be a popular and respected teacher but, after losing his job, his confidence plummeted, his marriage collapsed, and he’s become increasingly isolated.
Now his only lifelines are cafe worker Rosa, whom he forms a growing attachment to, and a radio DJ called Lawrence (Sean Pertwee) whom he spends his nights listening to.
However, things go awry when Tony plucks up the courage to ring NightTalk to speak to Lawrence, and soon becomes a ‘friend of the show’. For the first time in years, he feels listened to.
But as time passes, his developing bond with the late-night DJ begins to turn into an unhealthy obsession as he starts interpreting Lawrence’s ‘world view’ in dangerous ways that have devastating impacts on Tony’s life…
Robert Glenister plays Tony Conroy, Sean Pertwee is Lawrence Brightway, Suzanne Packer stars as Rosa, and Stephen Walters portrays Rob.
What has The Night Caller actress Suzanne Packer been in?
Suzanne Packer has been on our screens for more than three decades. She first played a character called Barbara Pilkington in the TV series Crime Story in 1992.
Although she’s had a long and varied career, she’s probably best known for playing senior staff nurse Tess Bateman in Casualty. Suzanne starred in the long-running BBC show from 2003 until 2015, before making a recent return as the character in 2021.
The actress’ first big role was in Brookside back in 1990, where she played Josie – the nightmarish wife of Mick Johnson. You might also recognise her as Delyth Lloyd in Welsh drama Keeping Faith.
Suzanne has starred as Carole in the Sky comedy Stella, and played DCI Layla Davies in Bang. More recently, she had a guest star role in Acorn TV cosy crime Agatha Raisin. She also recently starred as therapist Samantha Larsson in ITV drama Ridley.
Since leaving Casualty, she has starred in Tree on a Hill, Doctor Who, The ABC Murders, In My Skin and The Pembrokeshire Murders. In 2023, she guest starred as Miriam Harper in the Silent Witness episode Southbay.
Why did Suzanne Packer leave her role as Tess Bateman in Casualty?
Suzanne Packer quit her role as bossy Tess Bateman in 2015, in series 29.
In 2013, her short lived romance with staff nurse Adrian Fletcher began to make her question her career, and she considered resigning. At the end of 2014, she stepped down from the post of clinical nurse manager and was replaced by Rita Freeman the following January.
In 2015, Tess discovered that she’d become a grandmother when her bipolar son Sam arrived at the ED with his son Charlie. She left the department around seven months later to help him and spend time with her grandson.
Suzanne returned for several special episodes after that. In 2016, she popped back for a cameo appearance in the episode Too Old for This Shift. In the episode, Charlie celebrated his 30th anniversary of working at the ED, and a terrible accident threw the hospital into chaos.
Tess returned once again in a special Covid-themed episode in 2021. In the episode, the A&E Department struggled with the influx of Covid 19 patients.
Who is the famous brother of Suzanne Packer?
Suzanne Packer isn’t the only famous face in her family. In fact, her brother is the former Olympic sprint and hurdling athlete Colin Jackson. During his heyday, he specialised in the 110 metres hurdles.
His very successful athletic career saw him represent Great Britain and Wales. He won an Olympic silver medal, and became world champion twice. Colin, now 57, took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2005.
He eventually came second with his dance partner Erin Boag, just losing out to cricketer Darren Gough. In 2006, Colin became the first competitor who had not won the main series to win the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special.
Colin Jackson, who is of Jamaican descent, was the subject Who Do You Think You Are? in 2006. He came out as gay in 2017. In 2021, he turned down the opportunity to be in a same-sex couple on Dancing on Ice.
Colin was partnered with professional skater Klabera Komini and finished in third Place.
Is Suzanne Packer married? Does she have children?
Suzanne Packer is thought to be currently single. However, she was previously married to American actor Jesse Newman. They met while on a tour in Europe, and the pair later got married in May 1997.
They had a son together, called Paris, but later divorced in 2004 and co-parented their son. Speaking about the split, Suzanne once said: “You have to walk through it and embrace it.”
Jesse is now an independent filmmaker.
Why did The Night Caller star Suzanne Packer change her name?
Suzanne Packer was born Suzanne Jackson, however changed her name for the stage.
She took her stage surname from that of her maternal grandmother.
In real life, she calls herself Suza Jackson, as displayed on her official Instagram page.
How old is The Night Caller star Suzanne Packer? Where is she from?
Suzanne Jackson, later Packer, was born on November 26, 1962 in Cardiff, Wales.
She is currently 61 years old, four years older than her brother Colin.
Her parents – Jamaican and Panamanian immigrants – moved to Abergavenny in Wales where her mother worked as a nurse. Suzanne went on to studying at Llanedeyrn High School in Cardiff, where she realised her love of acting and took the lead in school plays.
Suzanne subsequently attended the National Youth Theatre of Wales before earning a BA in theatre and drama at the University of Warwick. She then trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
Read more: The Night Caller star Robert Glenister’s famous family including The Good Karma Hospital ex-wife
The Night Caller, which started on Sunday, July 07, 2024 airs consecutive nights at 9pm until its conclusion on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.
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