Amanda Abbington facts: Sherlock and Strictly star's age, partner, family and career revealed

12 October 2023, 16:25

Amanda Abbington is a versatile and talented English actress who has been working on stage and screen for over three decades.

She is best known for her roles as Josie Mardle in Mr Selfridge and Mary Morstan in Sherlock. She has also appeared in many other TV shows, films and theatre productions, showcasing her range and charisma.

In 2023, she has impressed viewers as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing alongside dance partner Giovanni Pernice.

1. What are Amanda Abbington's most famous TV roles?

   Some of her most prominent roles include:

   • Mary Morstan in Sherlock (2014–2017): She played the wife of John Watson, who was also her real-life partner at the time. She won the Best Supporting Actress award at the Crime Thriller Awards and was nominated for the same category at the Critic’s Choice Television Awards for this role.
   • Josie Mardle in Mr Selfridge (2013–2016): She played the head of accessories and later the head of fashion at Selfridge’s department store. She had a romantic relationship with Mr Selfridge’s chief of staff, Mr Grove, and later became a suffragette.
   • Dot in Wolfe (2021): She played the forensic pathologist and best friend of Wolfe, a brilliant but troubled crime scene investigator. She helped him solve complex and gruesome cases with her expertise and humour.
   • Rowan Taylor in Desperate Measures (2022): She played the mother of a teenage girl who was kidnapped by a serial killer. She joined forces with a retired detective to find her daughter and stop the killer before it was too late.
   • She was one of the stars of the hit sketch show Man Stroke Woman in 2005 for two series, alongside the likes of Nick Frost and Daisy Haggard.

2. How old is Amanda Abbington and where was she born?

   Amanda Abbington is 51 years old as of 2023. She was born on February 28, 1974 in north London. Her birth name was Amanda Smith.

   Her parents are John Smith and Patsy Smith and she is an only child.

3. Is Amanda Abbington married and does she have children?

   For 16 years, Amanda Abbington shared her life and work with Martin Freeman, whom she first encountered on the film set of Men Only in 2000.

   They co-starred in several projects, such as The Debt, The Robinsons, The Good Night and Sherlock.

   They had two children together, a son named Joe and a daughter named Grace, and resided in Hertfordshire until they parted ways in 2016.

   By October 2021, Abbington was engaged to former escapologist Jonathan Goodwin. They had been friends on social media for 10 years, but only met in person after her break-up with Freeman.

   Goodwin popped the question within half an hour of their first meeting, which took place in Vienna.

   Jonathan Goodwin is a former escapologist and daredevil who performed various stunts and challenges on stage and screen. He was a finalist on Britain's Got Talent in 2019, where he impressed the judges and the audience with his skills and courage.

   He also had his own series on UKTV's Watch, called The Incredible Mr. Goodwin, and appeared on other shows such as America's Got Talent.

   Unfortunately, he was severely injured in a stunt rehearsal for America's Got Talent: Extreme in 2021, which left him paralysed from the waist down. He survived two near-death experiences and underwent multiple surgeries.