Joyce Jacobs (born 15 April 1922 in England, United Kingdom) is a British character actress in Australia adept at playing gossips and interfering busybodies. During the 1970s she played the recurring bit part character of Mrs. Carson in Number 96. Jacobs later became best known for her role as gossip Esme Watson in Seven Network drama series A Country Practice. Esme first emerged in episode 99 of that series in 1982 and continued until it ended in 1993. In 1994 Network Ten continued the series under the same title but with a new setting and mostly new cast, and Jacobs reprised her role of Esme; however, the new version of the show was not a success, and it was cancelled after 29 episodes.
