Alex M Gibson

Sian Gibson, born in Wales in 1976, is a Welsh actress and television writer. She began her career with various television roles in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including appearances in 'Hollyoaks' and 'The League of Gentlemen', as well as smaller parts in shows with Peter Kay. Facing challenges in securing consistent acting work, Gibson temporarily left the industry in the mid-2000s to work in a call centre.

Her career experienced a significant resurgence when Peter Kay approached her with the concept for 'Peter Kay's Car Share.' Gibson co-wrote and co-starred in the hit sitcom, earning accolades such as a BAFTA TV Award for Best Scripted Comedy and a National Television Award for Best Comedy. Following this success, she took on numerous other roles, including starring in the 'Murder on the Blackpool Express' film series and co-writing and appearing in 'The Power of Parker'. She has also featured in 'Taskmaster' and the sitcom 'Mammoth'.

Born in Mold, Flintshire, Wales, Sian Gibson pursued performing arts at the University of Salford, where she met future collaborators Peter Kay and Steve Edge. After obtaining a qualification in Media Performance, she secured an agent and began a series of minor television roles in the late 1990s and early 2000s, appearing in programmes like 'Peak Practice', 'Hospital People', and 'Emmerdale'. She also played Tessie Thompson in 'Hollyoaks' and had roles in 'The League of Gentlemen' and various projects with Peter Kay, including 'Phoenix Nights'. Despite these early roles, Gibson found it difficult to secure substantial acting work, leading her to consider acting as having 'run its course' by the mid-2000s. The struggle for consistent employment was described as 'soul-destroying', prompting her to take a break from acting and work in a call centre to manage financial commitments.

Gibson's career was revitalized when Peter Kay drew inspiration from their regular catch-ups for the sitcom 'Peter Kay's Car Share.' Initially hesitant to star in the series, Kay eventually convinced bosses to cast Gibson alongside him, emphasizing their natural chemistry. The show, which aired in 2015, became a major success, breaking viewing records on BBC iPlayer. Gibson's contribution as co-writer and co-star earned her significant recognition, including a BAFTA TV Award for Best Scripted Comedy and a National Television Award for Best Comedy. The second series, which aired in 2017, further increased her profile, becoming one of the most popular comedies of the year.

The success of 'Peter Kay's Car Share' opened doors for further opportunities for Gibson. She starred as Gemma Draper in the UKTV film 'Murder on the Blackpool Express' and reprised the role in subsequent sequels that led to the series 'Murder, They Hope,' appearing in 11 films in total. She also featured in 'Death in Paradise' and 'Inside No. 9,' and played Natasha in 'The Reluctant Landlord.' In 2019, she competed in 'Taskmaster' series eight. More recently, Gibson co-wrote and starred in the BBC sitcom 'The Power of Parker,' which received critical acclaim and won a Royal Television Society award. She also joined the cast of the BBC sitcom 'Mammoth' in 2024, playing Mel Jones.

“I hit 30 and had to stop ... I started temping in a bank. Peter (Kay) was always really supportive and put me in his stuff, but I wasn’t getting much else. One day, I found myself thinking: I haven’t had an audition or casting call for so long, and I looked at my agent’s website and I wasn’t on it any more. I thought: that’s sad. But I accepted it. I’d always wanted to act but I wasn’t from an acting family. My dad was a builder, and my mum had worked in a factory. So I got married and was working in a call centre in north Wales.”

“I met up with Sian for one of our regular catch-ups. They usually consisted of lunch followed by a drive, where we’d put the world to rights to a playlist of classic hits that we’d both sing along to. That’s when it suddenly dawned on me. This was, in essence, Car Share.”