[9][10] She adopted the stage surname "Bea" as a tribute to her father, taking it from a short form of his first name.

However, she knew from a young age that she was not interested in the horse racing industry; instead, she had a passion for performing.

[9] Her great-aunt was playwright Siobhán Ní Shúilleabháin,[15] and musician Liam O'Flynn was a family friend.

[21] After graduating from drama school, Bea spent two years trying to get work in theatre as a dramatic actress.

[26] Bea and Yasmine Akram co-wrote and co-hosted the BBC Radio 4 comedy folklore series Micks and Legends (2012, 2015);[27] it was nominated for a Chortle Award in 2013.

In 2018, she and Sara Pascoe began to co-host the BBC Radio 2 comedy chat show What's Normal?

For her work on This Way Up, Bea won the BAFTA 2020 British Academy Television Craft Award for Breakthrough Talent.

[45][46] In 2024, Bea participated in the Cinema for Gaza auction,[47] and was a signatory calling for the end of arms sales to Israel.