Haywood was born in Hatfield, Hertfordshire and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. She has an extensive television career which includes portraying the much put-upon Helen Brittas in the BBC One comedy series The Brittas Empire (1991–1997), Julie Chadwick in the 2007 BBC Two comedy Fear, Stress & Anger and the hot-tempered, sex-mad human resources director Joanna Clore in Green Wing (2004–2006), for which she won the "best comedy female performance" award at the 2005 Rose d'Or televi