Alice was born the eldest of four children. She grew up in Burnley, attending St Mary Magdalene's school and came to acting late in life, after her son had grown up and left home. After working as an extra she was spotted by a director who encouraged her to go for larger parts, leading to roles in 'Coronation Street'. Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights' and most famously as the owner of the best little whore house on the Chatsworth estate in 'Shameless'. Alice's sense of humour has been evidenced in her appearances for BBC's Comic Relief appeals when she spoofed the knickerless tennis player in the famous Athena poster and also parodied Mena Suvari's scene in 'American Beauty',Alice being covered in plastic red noses as opposed to the rose petals of the original film.