Dawn Tinsley

Dawn Tinsley is a fictional character played by Lucy Davis in the BBC sitcom The Office. She is Wernham-Hogg's funny, unsatisfied, and conflicted receptionist. Dawn was the inspiration behind Pam Beesly.

Character overview
Dawn Tinsley finds her administrative position at Wernham-Hogg utterly unfulfilling. She aspires to be an artist, but like her friend Tim Canterbury, she is too insecure to quit her dead-end job and pursue her dreams. Although Dawn is trapped in a rocky engagement to her high school sweetheart,Lee, she is secretly in love with Tim. She is in her late 20's/early 30's and often bears the brunt of her boss, David Brent's awkward, offensive jokes.

Series One
In "Downsize," much like Pam Beesly, Dawn explains that she is engaged to her fiancé Lee, and tells the crew that she wants to be a children's book illustrator. Although she seems not to care about her job, Dawn breaks down when David Brent fake fires her. She calls David Brent a "sad little man," and "such a wanker."

In "Work Experience," Dawn raises her hand when David asks who printed out a copy of the photo-shopped picture of him for the cleaning lady.

In "The Quiz," Dawn is among the only ones who remembers Tim Canterbury's birthday- she and Lee give him a blow up penis as a joke. After everyone forgets it as a quit, she seems like she wants to say something to Tim, but Lee tells her to come on and she leaves. Dawn also winds up Gareth Keenan by making him seem like he's gay.