Background
Ancona was born in Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland and is of English and Italian, Jewish descent.
Ancona was born in Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland and is of English and Italian, Jewish descent.
She attended Marr College, a secondary school in Troon.
She first became well known as a result of appearing in the British Broadcasting Corporation"s British Academy of Film and Television Arts award winning The Big Impression alongside Alistair McGowan. In the programme Comedy Map of Britain she returned to her old school in Troon and talked about her earliest comedy performing experience as part of an improvisation group called Pots People. She made a one-off appearance on Blue Peter in 1986 while she was still at school.
She moved to London when 17 to study design at Street Martin"son
After this she became a teacher before embarking on stand-up comedy. Foreign many years she worked extensively in radio and on television shows, such as Fist of Fun, as well as performing stand-up comedy.
She also appeared in the first series of The Sketch Show before the The Big Impression. In 2005 she played Barbara, opposite Bill Nighy, Miranda Richardson and Emily Blunt in Stephen Poliakoff"s Gideon"s Daughter on British Broadcasting Corporation One.
She has appeared six times on the British Broadcasting Corporation celebrity panel show QI. In November 2006 she was a guest presenter of Have I Got News Foreign You.
She also appeared on the Channel 4 comedy show television Heaven, Telly Hell discussing her preferences in television shows. In December 2006 she revealed herself as a fan of Strictly Come Dancing and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing: lieutenant Takes Two. In 2007, following a successfully received pilot, the British Broadcasting Corporation commissioned a new comedy sketch series titled Ronni Ancona & Company consisting of her own material and co-starring Philosophy Cornwell, January Ravens and John Sessions.
The show initially aired on 25 May 2007 and had three episodes.
In 2008 Ancona appeared in the film Penelope as Wanda. She appeared as the mother of Katie and Emily Fitch in the third and fourth series of Skins.
In 2009 she appeared in Hope Springs on British Broadcasting Corporation 1. She was one of eight main cast members.
On 24 July 2009, Ancona appeared on The One Show, and she appeared on it again, with Alistair McGowan, on 16 October 2009.
In April 2010, she appeared on A Comedy Roast, celebrating Sharon Osbourne"s life. In 2012 she appeared in Last Tango in Halifax as Judith on British Broadcasting Corporation one. In 2009 her first book A Matter of Life And Death: How To Wean A Manitoba Office Football was published by Faber & Faber.
As part of British Broadcasting Corporation"s Big Read she promoted The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
