Gwen Taylor (born 19 February 1939)[1] is an English actress who has appeared in many British television programmes. She is known for her roles as Amy Pearce in the sitcom Duty Free (1984–1986); Barbara Liversidge in the sitcom Barbara (1999–2003); Peggy Armstrong in the drama series Heartbeat (2005–2009), Anne Foster in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street (2011–2012), and Vi Highway in BBC One soap opera EastEnders (2021–2023). She was nominated for the 1990 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for her role as Rita Simcock in the comedy series A Bit of a Do (1989). Her film appearances include Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) and The Lady in the Van (2015).

Gwen Taylor
Born
Gwendoline Allsop

(1939-02-19) 19 February 1939 (age 85)
Crich, Derbyshire, England
Alma materEast 15 Acting School
OccupationActress
Years active1972–present
Spouse
(m. 1996)

Biography

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Taylor was born in Crich, Derbyshire. Her initial career was in banking, but when she was an assistant area manager for the National Provincial Bank in Derby she became increasingly interested in amateur dramatics. Her first professional acting role was as a Green Bean in 'Jack and the Beanstalk' at the Derby Playhouse. Taylor trained at East 15 Acting School, London. She played Josephine in 'A Taste of Honey', in one of the earliest productions at the newly opened Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, in 1972. In 1973 she played Pamela Dean, the sister of the murder victim Victor Dean, in Murder Must Advertise, an adaptation of Dorothy L Sayers novel. In 1975 she played the role of Jack Regan's girlfriend, a probation officer named Anne Knightley in fourth episode of the second series of the British police drama, The Sweeney: episode Big Brother.[citation needed]

Later in the 1970s, she was one of the regulars on Eric Idle's Rutland Weekend Television. She also appeared in other Monty Python spin-offs such as The Life of Brian and Ripping Yarns, and in a dual role as both Chastity and Mrs. Iris Mountbatten in the Beatles parody All You Need Is Cash. On the film's DVD commentary Eric Idle described her as 'the best comedy actress I ever worked with. She could do anything'. However, she turned down a role in The Meaning of Life as she thought that being covered in intestines as a man exploded in a restaurant would be "tasteless".[citation needed]

In 1990, she was nominated for a BAFTA as "Best Actress" for her role in A Bit of a Do opposite Sir David Jason. Between 2005 and 2009, she played the role of Peggy Armstrong in the drama Heartbeat. In July 2011, it was announced that Taylor would be joining the cast of Coronation Street, playing Anne Foster, the mother of the villainous Frank Foster (Andrew Lancel).[1] She departed the series after her character was revealed as the killer of her rapist son on 19 March 2012. In November 2012, she appeared with Don Warrington in the stage version of Driving Miss Daisy on a UK-wide tour. Taylor played various roles in Tracey Ullman's Show on the BBC in 2016 and 2017, and played Lillian in an episode of the Sky 1 sitcom Trollied in 2018.[citation needed] In May 2021, she joined the cast of BBC soap opera EastEnders playing Vi Highway.[2]

Selected filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
Film
1979 Monty Python's Life of Brian Mrs. Big Nose/Woman with sick donkey/Young Girl
1980 Richard's Things Margaret
2015 The Lady in the Van Mam
2017 Small Town Killers Miss Nippleworthy Original Denmark title: Dræberne fra Nibe
2017 Another Mother's Son Lily Vibert
Television
1972 Dead of Night Tessa BBC anthology (1 episode)
1972 Kate Jo ITV drama (1 episode)
1973 Play for Today Sally Brown 1 episode: Land of Green Ginger
1973 Murder Must Advertise Pamela Dean Miniseries (2 episodes)
1974 Badger's Set Leila TV sitcom pilot
1974 Crown Court Anne Wills ITV drama (2 episodes)
1974 John Halifax, Gentleman Ursula March Miniseries (5 episodes)
1974 Village Hall Hilary ITV comedy drama (1 episode)
1974 Z Cars Anne Evans Crime series (1 episode)
1975 The Nearly Man Dorothy Hibbert ITV drama (4 episodes)
1975 The Punch Review Various BBC sketch-show (1 episode)
1975–1976 Rutland Weekend Television Various ITV sketch-show (9 episodes)
1975 Space: 1999 Nurse ITV sci-fi (1 episode)
1975 The Sweeney Anne Knightly ITV crime (1 episode)
1975 Within These Walls Miss White ITV drama (1 episode)
1976 Second City Firsts The woman BBC drama (1 episode)
1976 The New Avengers Doctor Marlow ITV action (1 episode)
1977 Middlemen Fay BBC sitcom (3 episodes)
1978 Hazell Mrs. Ford ITV drama (1 episode)
1978 The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash Mrs. Iris Mountbatten/Chastity TV film
1978 Send in the Girls Eileen ITV drama (1 episode)
1979 Ripping Yarns Eileen Ottershaw BBC sitcom (1 episode)
1980 Sounding Brass Cynthia Wildgoose ITV comedy (6 episodes)
1981 Only When I Laugh Victoria Plumtree ITV sitcom (1 episode)
1982 Sorry I'm a Stranger Here Myself Bebe ITV sitcom (1 episode)
1983 Goodnight and God Bless Sandra ITV sitcom (1 episode)
1984 Play for Today Mavis Martin 1 Episode: A Coming to Terms for Billy
1984–1986 Duty Free Amy Pearce ITV sitcom (22 episodes)
1985 Alas Smith & Jones Various BBC sketch show (1 episode)
1985 Lytton's Diary Angela Monroe ITV drama (1 episode)
1986 Slip-Up Charmian Biggs BBC television film
1988 Colin's Sandwich Mrs. D'Arcy BBC sitcom (1 episode)
1988 Yes, Prime Minister Agnes Moorhouse BBC sitcom (1 episode)
1989 A Bit of a Do Rita Simcock BAFTA TV Award nomination (13 episodes)
1989 Sob Sisters Liz ITV sitcom (7 episodes)
1990 Screenplay Winnie 1 episode
1990 Mistress of Suspense Olivia Emery 1 episode
1991 Murder Most Horrid Beryl BBC comedy (1 episode)
1991 The Sharp End Celia Forrest BBC comedy (8 episodes)
1992 Inspector Morse Margaret Cliff ITV detective series (1 episode)
1992 Screaming Annie BBC sitcom (8 episodes)
1993–1994 Conjugal Rites Gen Masefield ITV sitcom (13 episodes)
1994 The Detectives Annie BBC comedy (1 episode)
1995 Moving Story Nesta ITV comedy drama (1 episode)
1995 Some Kind of Life Sandra ITV television film
1995 Class Act Virginia Gilmore ITV comedy drama (1 episode)
1997 A Perfect State Laura Fitzgerald BBC sitcom (7 episodes)
1997 Pilgrim's Rest Tilly BBC sitcom (6 episodes)
1997 Wycliffe Alma Petheric ITV crime series (1 episode)
1995, 1999–2003 Barbara Barbara Liversidge ITV sitcom (29 episodes)
2002 Midsomer Murders Frances LeBon Episode "Ring Out Your Dead"
2003 Belonging Margaret BBC drama (1 episode)
2003 Born and Bred Dora Brisley British comedy drama (2 episodes)
2005 Fat Friends Mrs. Thompson ITV drama (1 episode)
2009 Doc Martin Mrs Selkirk Episode "The Departed"
2005–2010 Heartbeat Peggy Armstrong ITV drama (98 episodes)
2011–2012 Coronation Street Anne Foster ITV soap opera (47 episodes)
2016–2017 Tracey Ullman's Show Various BBC Comedy sketch show (6 episodes)
2018 Trollied Lillian Sky 1 sitcom (1 episode)
2020 Doctors Olive Wolverton Episode: "Mrs Wolf"[3]
2021–2023 EastEnders Vi Highway Series regular

(77 episodes)

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2006 12th National Television Awards Most Popular Actress Heartbeat Nominated [4]
2021 Inside Soap Awards Funniest Performance EastEnders Nominated [5]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Actress Gwen shows naked ambition at 72 as she lands a role in Corrie". Derby Telegraph. 21 July 2011. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  2. ^ Harp, Justin (17 March 2021). "EastEnders casts Gwen Taylor as Stuart and Callum's grandmother Violet". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK.
  3. ^ Writer: Olly Perkin; Director: Piotr Szkopiak; Producer: Dawn Coulson-Beckett (15 December 2020). "Mrs Wolf". Doctors. BBC. BBC One.
  4. ^ "National Television Awards". thecustard.tv. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  5. ^ Alexander, Susannah (28 September 2021). "Inside Soap Awards announces 2021 longlist as voting opens – here's who's up for prizes". Digital Spy. (Hearst Magazines UK). Archived from the original on 2 October 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
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