Most people know Jackie Woodburne as the woman who has spent three decades keeping the Kennedys grounded on Neighbours. But beyond the Ramsay Street fences, there’s a career arc that began on a different continent, a personal life kept deliberately out of the spotlight, and a handful of rumors that refuse to follow the script.
Who Is Jackie Woodburne?
- Irish-born Australian actress per Wikipedia
- Famous for playing Susan Kennedy on Neighbours per Wikipedia
- Full name: Jacqueline Anne Woodburne per Wikipedia
Key Facts
- Born 5 February 1956 per Wikipedia
- Age 69 per Daily Mail
- Married with two children per Wikipedia
Recent News
- Neighbours concluded in December 2025 per PerthNow
- Starring in new project ‘The Imposter’ per PerthNow
Personal Life
- Marital status: Married per NewsArc
- Children: Two per Wikipedia
- Spouse identity: Not publicly confirmed per NewsArc
Key Facts at a Glance
The table below compresses a life that spans two hemispheres and five decades of screen work.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Jacqueline Anne Woodburne |
| Date of Birth | 5 February 1956 |
| Age | 69 (as of 2025) |
| Nationality | Australian (born in Northern Ireland) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Known For | Playing Susan Kennedy on Neighbours |
The biographical core is clean: born in 1956 in Northern Ireland, Woodburne moved to Australia as a child and became one of the most recognizable faces on Australian television. Wikipedia confirms these baseline facts.
Career Timeline: From Cop Shop to Ramsay Street
Woodburne’s path to Neighbours ran through several Australian productions, including a stint on Cop Shop—a role that, notably, also featured Alan Fletcher, who would later play her on-screen husband Karl Kennedy. According to Wikipedia, her Neighbours tenure began in 1994 and extended through the show’s 2025 finale.
- 1994: First appears as Susan Kennedy on Neighbours per Wikipedia.
- 1994–2025: Continuous role as Susan Kennedy per Wikipedia.
- 2025: Media coverage describes Woodburne as 69 years old, and her Neighbours run is listed as ending that year per Daily Mail.
The pattern: her identity is inseparable from Susan Kennedy, but the 2025 series finale did not end her career—it simply closed one major chapter.
What is Jackie Woodburne’s real name?
Her birth name and stage name
Jackie Woodburne’s full birth name is Jacqueline Anne Woodburne, as confirmed by Wikipedia. She has used the professional name Jackie Woodburne throughout her acting career.
Irish and Australian roots
Born in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, Woodburne emigrated to Australia at age three, according to the Scottish Daily Express. She then attended the National Theatre Drama School per The Sun. This dual heritage shapes her identity as a Northern Ireland-born Australian actress.
How old is the actress who plays Susan in Neighbours?
Jackie Woodburne’s birth date
Jackie Woodburne was born on 5 February 1956, making her 69 years old as of 2025. This is confirmed by her Wikipedia entry and consistent with Daily Mail coverage from 2025.
Early life and career beginnings
She began her acting career in Australian television in the 1970s, with her first notable role on Cop Shop per Wikipedia.
Is Jackie Woodburne married in real life?
Her marital status
Jackie Woodburne is married, though her spouse’s name is not widely publicized. According to Wikipedia, she keeps her personal life deliberately private.
Family life
Woodburne has two children. The privacy around her family has led to a lack of verified public information about her relationship status beyond the basic fact of being married per NewsArc.
“Woodburne has kept her personal life out of the tabloids, which means most details about her marriage remain unverified.” — NewsArc
Are Karl and Susan married in real life?
The on-screen couple vs reality
Karl and Susan Kennedy are characters, not real-life spouses. Alan Fletcher, who plays Karl, is married to someone else, as confirmed by Wikipedia. Woodburne has referred to Fletcher as her “telly husband” in a 2025 interview with PerthNow.
Alan Fletcher’s wife
According to Wikipedia, Alan Fletcher is married to a different person entirely, and Jackie Woodburne is also married to someone else—her husband’s identity remains private.
“The on-screen marriage is a work of fiction—but the persistent conflation of actor and character has led to repeated misreporting over the years.” — Editorial analysis
What is Jackie Woodburne doing now?
Post-Neighbours career
The final episode of Neighbours aired in December 2025, bringing Susan Kennedy’s 31-year arc to a close. Coverage at the time from PerthNow noted that Woodburne had dinner, drinks, and attended wrap events marking the show’s end.
Latest project: The Imposter
Woodburne is now reportedly working on a new project called The Imposter, according to PerthNow. A July 2025 report in the Daily Mail also described this career move into the thriller genre.
Retirement plans
Woodburne has not announced retirement, suggesting continued acting work per PerthNow.
tvtonight.com.au, backtothebay.net, express.co.uk, imdb.com, tvguide.co.uk, nowtolove.com.au
Frequently Asked Questions
Are any of the original cast still in Neighbours?
By the 2025 finale, most original cast members had departed. Jackie Woodburne, though not an original 1985 cast member, was among the longest-serving actors, having joined in 1994 and remained through the final episode per Wikipedia.
Is Karl and Susan in Neighbours married in real life?
No. Alan Fletcher and Jackie Woodburne are colleagues, not real-life spouses. Fletcher is married to someone else, and Woodburne is married to a different person entirely—though her husband’s identity has never been publicly revealed per Wikipedia.
Is Jackie Woodburne married?
Yes, she is married and has two children. However, her spouse’s name is not widely publicized, and she has kept this aspect of her life private per Wikipedia.
Did Neighbours end in 2025?
Yes. The show aired its final episode in December 2025, ending a run that began in 1985. Woodburne’s tenure as Susan Kennedy spanned from 1994 to that final episode per PerthNow.
What is Jackie Woodburne doing now?
She is reported to be working on a new project called The Imposter. She has not announced retirement, suggesting continued acting work per PerthNow.
George Harry Howard Bennett is a staff writer for Public Journal UK, specializing in UK news, policy analysis, and public affairs coverage. He works under Editor-in-Chief Margaret Ellison, maintaining high standards of sourcing, verification, and fact-checking. Bennett reports on Westminster, government policy, and societal issues, providing balanced and accurate journalism with timely insight.