Julie Riley (born in Manchester), appeared on Coronation Street in two different roles: firstly in October 2000 as Margaret Reece, whose husband Paul was a member of the police's armed response team and accompanied Emma Taylor when she shot Dean Sykes during the Freshco's siege; she returned to the programme in March 2003 as Underworld client Chrissy Barker.
Her other TV credits include roles in The Bill, Always and Everyone, Casualty, London's Burning, The Royal, Holby City, Doctors, Emmerdale, The Commander, Death in Paradise and DCI Banks, while on stage she has appeared in productions including Twelfth Night, Maybe Tomorrow, Closer, Dust to Dust, Spring and Port Wine, Amateur Girl and A Taste of Honey.