Biography

Elaine Constance Smith (born 2 August 1958) is a Scottish actress, comedian, and political activist. She rose to prominence from appearing in the BBC Scotland sitcoms City Lights (1984–1991) and Rab C. Nesbitt (1988–2014). Smith has played the role of Christine O'Neil in the BBC Scotland sitcom Two Doors Down (2013–present).

Smith co-wrote with Alan Mchugh, as well as starring in I Dreamed a Dream, a stage production about the life and rise to fame of Scottish singer Susan Boyle in 2012.

She has actively campaigned for Scottish independence and continues to be a supporter. Born and raised in Glasgow, Smith attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and then completed a teacher training course at the Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, where she then worked as a drama teacher at Firrhill High School for three years. She made her first TV debut on the BBC Scotland's Laugh??? I Nearly Paid My Licence Fee in 1984. She then went on to star in sketch show Naked Video and the sitcom City Lights for seven years. Smith made her breakthrough, becoming a household name, after starring as Mary Doll Nesbitt in the BBC sitcom Rab C. Nesbitt. The show ran for nine years and three festive shows were made.

After Rab C. Nesbitt, she starred in various BBC dramas, including Two Thousand Acres of Sky and 55 Degrees North, and starred as Irene O'Brien in the film Women Talking Dirty. In 2015, she played Valerie Hardcastle in third series of The Syndicate. Smith has starred as Christine in the BBC Scotland's Two Doors Down since 2016. She won the BAFTA Scotland award for Best Actress – Television in 2018 for her performance.

A former member of the Scottish Labour Party, Smith has been an active member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), having declared her support for Scottish Independence.