Maxine Peake

Maxine Peake (born 14 July 1974 in Bolton, is an English stage, film and television actress known for playing Veronica in Channel 4's Manchester-based drama series Shameless, Twinkle in Victoria Wood's sitcom Dinnerladies and most recently, barrister Martha Costello in BBC legal drama Silk.

Peake is the second of two daughters born to Brian and Glynis Peake (née Hall).

Her father was a lorry driver before working in the electrical industry, her mother a part-time careworker; Lisa, her elder sister by nine years, is a policewoman.

Her parents separated when Peake was nine and she lived with her mother until the age of 15. 

When her mother moved in with a new boyfriend several miles away, she went to live with her grandfather so she could continue her GCSE studies at Westhoughton High School, before going on to take her A-Levels at Canon Slade School, Bradshaw near Bolton. It was through her grandfather, a member of the Communist Party that she was first encouraged to develop her creativity and embrace acting. 

It was also at this time that she began to be interested in politics, first joining the Young Communist League and later becoming a socialist.