Anne Reid CBE
Reid on the set ofLast Tango in Halifax in 2019
Born	(1935-05-28)28 May 1935 (age 90) Jesmond,Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Education	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Bachelor of Arts)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1957–present
Spouse	Peter Eckersley ​ ​ (m. 1971; died 1981)​
Children	1

Anne Reid (born 28 May 1935) is an English stage, film and television actress, known for her roles asValerie Barlow in thesoap operaCoronation Street (1961–1971); Jean in thesitcomdinnerladies (1998–2000); and her role as Celia Dawson inLast Tango in Halifax (2012–2020) for which she was nominated for theBritish Academy Television Award for Best Actress. A further nomination in thesame category followed for playing Ann Moore-Martin inThe Sixth Commandment (2023).^[1]

For her performance in the filmThe Mother (2003), Reid won theLondon Film Critics' Circle Award for British Actress of the Year and received a nomination for theBAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Other notable film roles include the voice of Wendolene Ramsbottom inWallace and Gromit: A Close Shave (1995) and as Leslie Tiller inHot Fuzz (2007).

Reid was born inNewcastle upon Tyne,^[2][3] the daughter of Colin Norman Reid (1896–1970)^{[citation needed]} and Annie Eliza (née Weetman) (1896–1980).^[4][5][6][7] She lived with her parents and three older brothers inRedcar, where she attended John Emmerson Batty primary school and the White House School. From the age of 11 she attendedPenrhos College, a boarding school inNorth Wales, when her father was posted abroad as a foreign correspondent forThe Daily Telegraph: she visited her parents occasionally inIndia,Tehran andBeirut in the school holidays. Upon leaving school she moved to London to attend theRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art.^[8] She then became astage manager and worked inrepertory theatre.

Although she had already appeared in other television programmes includingThe Benny Hill Show (1957),Hancock's Half Hour (1957) andThe Adventures of Robin Hood (1958), Reid's first major acting role was as the character ofValerie Tatlock (later Barlow) onCoronation Street. Her character was very popular with the show's fans; as such, Valerie's marriage toKen Barlow can be seen as an early example of a soapsupercouple.

Valerie was the mother of the twinsSusan andPeter. Reid joined the cast, initially for two months, starting in August 1961 and leaving in October. She returned to the programme to marry Ken on 1 August 1962, in a wedding watched by 15.8 million viewers. In 1965, Val and Ken had twins, andGranada Television received numerous congratulation gifts addressed to the couple.

In 1968, Reid played one of her most difficult parts inCoronation Street when Val was held hostage by a rapist. Although Val was not harmed, viewers sent in hate mail to the actor who played the rapist. In November 1970, Reid announced she was leavingCoronation Street. In a 2011 interview with theRadio Times, Reid said she had enough and wanted to do other things:

I was a basket case when I left! I'd already had too much of it. That kind of work suits some people, but it didn't suit me. It was my decision to leave and I was desperate, really desperate, to go. Because I knew I was good at comedy and there was no way that Valerie Barlow was ever going to be funny.^[9]

On 27 January 1971, 18.26 million viewers watched as Valerie Barlow was written out of the soap, dying after beingelectrocuted by ahairdryer with a faulty plug.^[9] On 1 and 3 February 1971, 18.92 million people watched the aftermath and the character's funeral.

Following a break from acting to bring up her son, during which time she made occasional TV appearances for Granada, such as inCrown Court, Reid resumed her career on stage and television in the 1980s. Reid was a regular performer withVictoria Wood, appearing in several of Wood's projects, includingVictoria Wood as Seen on TV, the seriesVictoria Wood in 1989, and the dramaPat and Margaret in 1994. From 1998 to 2000, Reid played the major role of Jean in theBBC comedy seriesdinnerladies written by and starring Wood, and has appeared in other television programmes includingBoon (1988),Casualty (1992),Heartbeat (two different roles in 1993 and 1997) andHetty Wainthropp Investigates (1996). She played Alice Conway in the ITV adaptation ofCatherine Cookson’s novelThe Wingless Bird in 1997. She also made an appearance in theDoctor Who serialThe Curse of Fenric which was broadcast in October 1989.

In 2003, Reid had a part inMidsomer Murders in the episode "A Tale of Two Hamlets" as Sarah Proudie and a main part in the comedy dramaThe Booze Cruise. She also had a major role in theITV drama seriesLife Begins, which ran from 2004 to 2006, in which she appeared alongsideCaroline Quentin andFrank Finlay. In 2005 she had a supporting role in the BBC's adaptation ofBleak House^[10] and in 2006 made a brief appearance inJane Eyre.

On 31 March 2007, Reid appeared for a second time in the seriesDoctor Who in the episode "Smith and Jones".^[11] In the episode, she playedFlorence Finnegan: a shape-shifting, blood-sucking alien known as aPlasmavore, who took on the guise of a human. That same year she appeared in the ITV television adaptation of the novelThe Bad Mother's Handbook, co-starring alongsideCatherine Tate.

In February 2008, Reid appeared as the mother ofMonica Gallagher, Joan, who was suffering fromAlzheimer's in theChannel 4 dramaShameless.^[12] In October 2008, she played the title role inIn Love with Barbara onBBC Four, a biographical film ofBarbara Cartland.

In 2009, Reid appeared in the television seriesAgatha Christie's Marple in the episodeNemesis.^[13] From 2009 to 2010 she starred as Vera alongsideMaureen Lipman as Irene in anITV3 adaptation of theBBC Radio 4 seriesLadies of Letters.^[14]

In 2010, she began playing Mrs Thackeray, the cook, in the BBC's short-lived revival series ofUpstairs Downstairs, and also appeared inFive Days,^[15]New Tricks andMoving On. In 2011 Reid had a major part inMarchlands,^[16] a five-part ITV supernatural drama, made a guest appearance inDoc Martin and played a supporting role inThe Jury II.^[17]

In 2012 Reid began starring as Celia alongsideSir Derek Jacobi as Alan in the BBC romantic comedy-drama series,Last Tango in Halifax. Reid was nominated for the 2013British Academy Television Award for Best Actress for this role.^[18][19]

In 2013, she appeared in the second series of the BBC dramaPrisoners' Wives. She also starred withKatherine Kelly inThe Last Witch, part of a series of original dramas forSky Living^[20] and appeared in the finalAgatha Christie's Poirot mystery,Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case as Daisy Luttrell.^[21] The following year, she guest-starred in "Sardines", the first episode of the BBC anthology seriesInside No. 9.^[22] She also starred alongsideLee Ingleby andRalf Little in the six-part BBC drama seriesOur Zoo.^[23]

Reid took part in an episode of the BBC genealogy seriesWho Do You Think You Are? in September 2015.^[24]

In 2017, Reid starred alongsideTimothy Spall in "The Commuter", an episode of theChannel 4/Amazon Video anthology seriesElectric Dreams.^[25] In 2018 and 2019, she starred alongsideAlison Steadman andJohn Cleese in a new BBC comedy series,Hold the Sunset.^[26]

In 2019 Reid co-starred in a six-part BBC drama series,Years and Years, starringEmma Thompson.^[27] Reid played the matriarch of the central family, Muriel Deacon. From 2019 to 2023 she starred as the wealthy Lady Denham in the ITV adaptation ofJane Austen's unfinished novel,Sanditon.^[28]

In 2023 she starred alongside Timothy Spall andÉanna Hardwicke in the BBC true-life crime dramaThe Sixth Commandment, for which she nominated for the 2024British Academy Television Award for Best Actress.^[29][30]

In 2024 Reid was announced as being in the cast of a new BBC drama series,Riot Women.^[31] The series broadcast in late 2025.^[32]

Reid voiced Wendolene Ramsbottom in theWallace & Gromit filmA Close Shave (1995). Her other film appearances includeLove and Death on Long Island (1997);The Mother (2003), for which her performance secured her a nomination for theBAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2004;^[33]Hot Fuzz (2007);^[34]Cemetery Junction (2010); andSong for Marion (2013).^[35]

Additionally, Reid filmed a minor role as alesbianheadmistress in the movieLove Actually (2003), but Reid is not credited in the cast list since all her scenes were ultimately deleted, because they were not central to the main plot. The scenes can, however, be viewed in the deleted scenes on theLove Actually DVD.^[36]

In 2002 Reid appeared in the premiere ofThe York Realist at theRoyal Court Theatre, which later transferred to theWest End.^[37]

From September 2005 to January 2006, she appeared on stage in the West End inEpitaph for George Dillon.^[38]

In June 2007, Reid played the role of Jack's mother inStephen Sondheim'sInto the Woods, at theRoyal Opera House inCovent Garden.^[39]

From January to May 2008, Reid appeared in theNational Theatre's production ofHappy Now?, a new play byLucinda Coxon.^[40]

From March to May 2009, Reid appeared at theDonmar Warehouse inDimetos, a 1975 play byAthol Fugard.^[41]

From September to November 2012, Reid appeared at London'sOld Vic, in a production of Ibsen'sHedda Gabler, starringSheridan Smith.^[42]

On 26 January 2015, Reid played Madame Armfeldt in a special concert version ofA Little Night Music, at thePalace Theatre, to celebrate 40 years since the musical premiered in the West End.^[43]

In July and August 2016, Reid appeared at theMinerva Theatre, Chichester alongsideJames Bolam in a new play,Fracked! Or: Please Don't Use the F-Word byAlistair Beaton.^[44] The play was revived for a national tour in April and May 2017.

From October to December 2017, Reid returned to the West End oppositeEve Best inOscar Wilde'sA Woman of No Importance at theVaudeville Theatre.^[45]

From March to May 2023, Reid appeared in the UK premiere ofMarjorie Prime byJordan Harrison, at theMenier Chocolate Factory in London.^[46]

Reid playedQueen Elizabeth II in a new play,By Royal Appointment, byDaisy Goodwin. The play, which also starredCaroline Quentin, opened at theTheatre Royal Bath in June 2025, followed by a tour.^[47]

Reid co-starred alongsideMark Strong andLesley Manville in theBroadway transfer ofOedipus atStudio 54 from October 2025 to February 2026.^[48]

Reid was appointedMember of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the2010 Birthday Honours^[50] andCommander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the2025 New Year Honours, both for services to drama.^[51][52]

• List of British actors

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• Anne Reid atBritish Comedy Guide

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