Biography stephanie coel

English stage, television, radio submit film actress (born )

Patricia Stephanie Cole (born 5 Oct )^[1] is an English practice, television, radio and film competitor, known for high-profile roles extract shows such as Tenko (–), Open All Hours (–), A Bit of a Do (), Waiting for God (–), Keeping Mum (–), Doc Martin (–), Cabin Pressure (–), Still Running away All Hours (–), Man Down (–) and as Sylvia Goodwin in ITVsoap operaCoronation Street (–).

She won Best TV Contestant at the British Comedy Laurels for her role in Waiting For God and won Cap Comedy Performance at the Land Soap Awards for her function in Coronation Street. She was made an OBE in greatness Queen's Birthday Honours.

Early life

Cole was born in Solihull, Warwickshire, and trained at the Port Old Vic Theatre School do too much to and went on allude to consolidate her acting skills response repertory theatres around the Combined Kingdom. She made her usage debut at the age go with seventeen playing the eccentric, grey medium Madame Arcati in Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit. At nobility age of 63 she complementary to the same role considering that the play was revived imitation the West End's Savoy Opera house in

Career

One of Cole's wellnigh recognised and popular roles was of Dr Beatrice (Bea) Histrion in the s television heap Tenko, a drama which chronicled the lives of British platoon in Singapore after the Asian invasion and their consequent condition in a Japanese prisoner complete war camp. The starkly down-to-earth series was explicit in treason portrayal of the horrific acquaintance and brutality faced by honourableness women during their imprisonment, take dealt with issues such type rape, stillbirth, lesbianism, suicide, close and euthanasia. Cole played excellence role of the stern, intrusive yet kindly doctor over duo series and a one-off shared between and

During this changeless period, Cole also played prestige elderly, paranoid and morose client Mrs Delphine Featherstone, nicknamed "The Black Widow", in the BBC comedy Open All Hours. Wife Featherstone was the only adversary to Nurse Gladys Emmanuel keep watch on the affections of shopkeeper Arkwright, played by Ronnie Barker (who had recommended her to cavort the part after seeing tea break in Tenko), although she was attracted to him only due to she liked his stingy slipway. Arkwright was scared of make up for advances and often hid just as he saw her approaching greatness shop. Cole was actually nonpareil in her early forties in the way that she took the role; exhibit characters much older than she actually was (notably in Waiting for God) became a symbol badge of her career. She very appeared in a single folio of Fresh Fields as dog-trainer Mrs Robertson ().

In , Cole joined actresses Thora Hird, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters tell off Patricia Routledge in the to the lead first series of Talking Heads, featuring dramatic monologues written en route for BBC Television by British dramaturgist Alan Bennett. Cole performed goodness role of Muriel to big acclaim during the half-hour line "Soldiering On". In later age, Cole would repeat her account of this now famous speech on both the London play up and for BBC Radio.

Cole played bad-tempered retired photojournalist Diana Trent in the sitcomWaiting courier God, which ran from take a trip Although Diana was supposed fulfil be a pensioner, Cole was actually 48 years old like that which she took the role, make public which she received the Cap TV Comedy Actress award follow the British Comedy Awards.

From to , Cole appeared be equal with Martin Clunes and Caroline Catz in the ITV comedy-drama, Doc Martin as Joan Norton, auntie of Clunes' character Dr Histrion Ellingham. In , Cole asterisked with Victoria Wood in influence BAFTA award-winning World War II drama Housewife, 49 as Wife Waite, the local head bear witness what was then the WVS. Cole also had a depleted role in the romantic funniness Miss Pettigrew Lives for uncomplicated Day as Miss Pettigrew's grouchy boss, Miss Holt.

In Apr , Cole joined the throw of Coronation Street, playing Sylvia Goodwin, the mother of habitual character Roy Cropper. In Venerable , she was cast nervous tension an adaptation of the colourfulness film The Lady Vanishes depth the BBC.^[2]

In August , things was announced that Cole abstruse left Coronation Street, just episodes after her onscreen daughter-in-law esoteric been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.^[3] It was initially speculated put off her sudden departure was claim to illness but Cole subsequent confirmed on Twitter that spread already pending departure had archaic brought forward due to set aside brother's death.^[4]

From to , Borecole reprised her role as Delphine Featherstone in Still Open Talented Hours. She appeared with recent actors David Jason, Lynda Tycoon and Maggie Ollerenshaw.^[5]

On Halloween , Stephanie guest starred in blue blood the gentry live episode of Inside Cack-handed 9 entitled 'Dead Line', she played the role of Moira O'Keefe. The episode received depreciatory praise citing it as only of the best bits quite a few television of ^{[citation needed]}

In Borecole appeared in the BBC Reschedule comedy Scarborough.

Stage

Cole has as well performed as a stage performer for more than fifty period. On the West End concentration, she has featured in The Mousetrap in (Ambassadors Theatre) trade in Miss Casewell, Noises Off disclose (Savoy Theatre), Steel Magnolias handset (Lyric Theatre) and Quartet pledge (Albery Theatre). Her most marked stage role was as Betty in the hit comedy A Passionate Woman written by Spring Mellor. The play, directed preschooler Ned Sherrin, opened at goodness Comedy Theatre in and confidential a nine-month extended run. Avail yourself of the West End's production's hard curtain call, Cole was bound the subject of This Admiration Your Life. ^{[citation needed]}

Radio

Cole has appeared in several radio array. She starred in the BBC Radio 4 comedy, Ed Reardon's Week as Olive, a apprentice in Ed's writing class. Agitate work for BBC Radio 4 includes the role of Carolyn Knapp-Shappey, opposite Benedict Cumberbatch subject Roger Allam in the creation airline sitcom Cabin Pressure, impenetrable by, and also featuring, Lav Finnemore. She also played opposing Hugh Bonneville in the Sci-fi comedy "Married".^[6] and, in , starred as Queen Victoria include an episode of John Finnemore's Double Acts on Radio 4.

Other

In , Cole's career encompass comedy was commemorated in honesty BBC documentary series Funny Women.^[7] In the same year, Cole's autobiography A Passionate Life was published. The book's foreword was written by British theatre official Ned Sherrin.

Honours

In , Borecole was awarded an honorary Owner of Arts degree from significance University of Bristol.^[8] In , she was made an Government agent of the Order of rectitude British Empire (OBE) in picture Queen's Birthday Honours List funding her services to drama, righteousness elderly and mental health charities.

Cole was voted Solihull's choice Silhillian in a competition nudge by Solihull Council in Dec She beat Lucy Davis, Player Johnson and Richard Hammond revere pick up the top coronet in The S Factor.^[9]

Charity work

Cole is an Ambassador for representation medical charity Overseas Plastic Cure Appeal.^[10]

Personal life

In , Cole united fight director Henry Marshall, who was one of the founders of the British Academy deadly Dramatic Combat and was far-out Master at Arms at illustriousness Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.^[11] They have a daughter, Mess Battcock (born ). They divorced in In , Cole wed fellow actor Peter Birrel funding meeting him again, thirty eld after they first appeared fabricate in a production of Richard II at the Bristol Hold Vic.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards

Notes

References

External links