Susan Pollard (born November 7, 1949 in Nottingham) is a flamboyant English comedy actress known as Su Pollard best known for her roles in the sitcoms Hi-de-Hi! and You Rang, M’Lord?.
After performing in several West End musicals and coming second in a heat of Opportunity Knocks, she was noticed by BBC producers and chosen to star in a new sitcom Two Up, Two Down with Paul Nicholas.
The sitcom was not a success, but it led to her being cast as Peggy Ollerenshaw in Hi-De-Hi!. The show was a hit and Pollard became familiar face to families across the UK.
In 1988, David Croft and Jimmy Perry, the writers of Hi De Hi!, chose Pollard to star in their new sitcom You Rang, M’Lord?. The show was a moderate success. In the 1990s Su starred in another Croft sitcom, Oh, Doctor Beeching!. The show was cancelled by the BBC after only 19 episodes. Critics joked that it had received a “Beeching Axe”.
Also in 1988, Su won the much-coveted “Rear of the Year” award. Other winners have included Felicity Kendal and Anneka Rice.
Pollard also voiced characters in two animated children’s television series produced for the BBC: the title character of Penny Crayon and Noisy in Little Robots.
In recent years she has been in several stage plays and musicals including Annie and The Pirates of Penzance.
In addition to acting, Pollard has also had a singing career. In 1986, she reached number 2 in the UK singles chart with the song “Starting Together”. It was her only Top 40 hit. Her first single, “Come To Me (I Am Woman)”, reached number 71 the previous year. Her only charting album, Su, peaked at number 86 in November 1986.
Pollard is a supporter of Nottingham Forest F.C… She was also spotted in the crowd with Hi-De-Hi! co-star Paul Shane at WWF wrestling’s first UK event, Superstars of Wrestling, on 10 October 1989.
In 2001, she presented an edition of long-running BBC religious programme Songs of Praise. The combination of Pollard’s legendary gusto and elderly church congregations singing traditional hymns made for an unusual televisual experience, and one which has not been repeated.
Pollard is currently appearing as a nurse in the Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet at the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton.