Carol Royle
Carol Royle | |
|---|---|
 Royle in 2011 | |
| Born | Carol Buchanan Royle 10 February 1954 (age 70) Blackpool, Lancashire, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Spouse |
Julian Spear
(m. 1977; died 2024) |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | www |
Carol Buchanan Royle (born 10 February 1954)[1] is an English actress. She is best known for playing Jenny Russell in the BBC sitcom Life Without George (1987—1989) and Lady Patricia Brewster in Heartbeat (1997—2003).[2]
Early life
[edit]Born in Blackpool, the daughter of actor Derek Royle, Carol Royle studied drama at the Central School of Speech and Drama.[3]
Career
[edit]Making her screen debut in 45 episodes of The Cedar Tree from 1977 to 1978, Royle went on to become known for her role as Jenny Russell in the BBC sitcom Life Without George, which ran for three series from 1987 to 1989, as well as her role in ITV1's 1960s-based drama Heartbeat, in which she played Austin Healey-driving Lady Patricia Brewster in four episodes.[4][5] In 1989, she appeared in the prominent role of Jessica in Blackeyes, written by Dennis Potter.[6] Other television shows Royle has appeared in are Blake's 7, The Professionals, Bergerac, Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense, Cribb, Crossroads, The Outsider, Casualty, Ladies in Charge, Crime Traveller, The Bill, Doctors, and Father Brown.[7] Her film career includes roles in The Greek Tycoon (1978) and Tuxedo Warrior (1982).
From 2019 to 2023, Royle played Mrs Bright in the Inspector Morse prequel Endeavour, appearing in five episodes of the series.[1]
Personal life
[edit]Royle married musician Julian Spear, son of actor Bernard Spear, in 1977. They had two children, Taran and Talitha.[8] Spear died on 9 December 2024, having suffered a brain haemorrhage on jumping into a David Lloyd health club swimming pool, which was at a low temperature he did not expect.[9][10]
Her younger sister Amanda Royle is also an actress.[8] The two played sisters in the 1990 Casualty episode "Say It With Flowers".
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | The Greek Tycoon | Nico's Girlfriend | |
| 1982 | Tuxedo Warrior | Lisa | |
| 1989 | Deadline | Carol | |
| 2014 | Miss in Her Teens | Aunt | |
| 2021 | Put Away | Prudence | Short film |
| 2024 | Christmas at Plumhill Manor | Lorraine |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977–1978 | The Cedar Tree | Laura Collins (later Cartland) | Series 2–4; 45 episodes |
| 1978 | Blake's 7 | Mutoid | Series 1; Episode 8: "Duel" |
| The Professionals | Helen Pierce | Series 2; Episode 8: "A Stirring of Dust" | |
| 1979 | Anna Batak | Series 3; Episode 4: "Dead Reckoning" | |
| The Dick Francis Thriller: The Racing Game | Trish Latham | Episode 2: "Trackdown" | |
| Screenplay | Miriam Cromer | Episode 1: "Waxwork" (Pilot for series, Cribb) | |
| 1980 | Heartland | Jane Price | Series 2; Episodes 3 & 4: "Family" and "The Sponge Man" |
| 1983 | Storyboard | Jane Alexander | Series 1; Episode 2: "Judgement Day" |
| Possibilities | Anita | Television film | |
| Shades of Darkness | Maggie Winthrop | Series 1; Episode 3: "Feet Foremost" | |
| The Outsider | Fiona Lytton Neave | All 6 episodes | |
| Bergerac | Irene Maybank | Series 3; Episode 1: "Ninety Per Cent Proof" | |
| 1984 | Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense | Kim Osborn / Catherine Parkes | Episode 11: "And the Wall Came Tumbling Down" |
| Oxbridge Blues | Tory | Episode 2: "That Was Tory" | |
| Ellen | Episode 5: "The Muse" | ||
| 1985 | Summer Season | Eleanor | Episode 15: "A Still Small Shout" |
| Storyboard | Diana Granville | Series 2; Episode 2: "Ladies in Charge" (Pilot for series) | |
| 1986 | Ladies in Charge | All 6 episodes | |
| 1987 | Screen Two | Rachel | Series 3; Episode 14: "Hedgehog Wedding" |
| London Embassy | Hon. Sophie Graveney | Mini-series; Episode 1: "An Unofficial English Rose" | |
| 1987–1989 | Life Without George | Jenny Russell | Series 1–3; All 20 episodes |
| 1989 | Blackeyes | Jessica | Mini-series; All 4 episodes |
| 1990 | Casualty | Lizzie Trent | Series 5; Episode 7: "Say It with Flowers" |
| 1996 | The Bill | Lyn Forbes | Series 12; Episode 48: "Cheating" |
| 1997 | Crime Traveller | Sonja Duvall | Episode 3: "Fashion Shoot" |
| Thief Takers | Julia Maybury | Series 3; Episode 2: "Fashion Victims" | |
| 1997–2003 | Heartbeat | Lady Patricia Brewster | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 1999 | Grange Hill | Sarah Lyons | Series 22; Episode 5 |
| 2001 | Second Sight | Sarah Finch | Episodes 1 & 2: "Hide and Seek: Parts 1 & 2" |
| The Bill | Jennifer Salter | Series 17; Episodes 38 & 39: "Complicity: Parts 1 & 2" | |
| 2001–2002 | Crossroads | Diane Lawrence | 4 episodes |
| 2005 | Doctors | Kathy Watson | Series 6; Episode 127: "Conflicts of Interest" |
| 2006 | Mayo | Gwen Bainbridge | Mini-series; Episode 2: "Requiem for a Dove" |
| Doctors | Victoria Payne | Series 8; 10 episodes | |
| 2007 | New Tricks | Diane Bathley-Jones | Series 4; Episode 7: "Father's Pride" |
| 2010 | Casualty | Sheila Bainbridge | Series 24; Episode 20: "Dark Places" |
| 2011 | Doctors | Martha Locke | Series 12; Episode 223: "Chelsea Girl" |
| 2012 | Alice Davidson | Series 14; Episode 87: "What I'm Good At" | |
| 2015–2016 | Casualty | Emilie Groome | Series 30; 4 episodes |
| 2017 | Father Brown | Lady Ursula Lansford | Series 5; Episode 5: "The Hand of Lucia" |
| Doctors | Elaine Bottrell | Series 19; Episode 117: "The Old Toe and the New Nose" | |
| 2019 | Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators | Anastasia Kusk | Series 2; Episode 3: "This Cursed Hand" |
| 2019–2020 | Endeavour | Mrs. Bright | Series 6 & 7; 5 episodes |
| 2024–present | Coronation Street | Anthea Deering | Mother of Joel Deering |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Carol Royle". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 12 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
- ^ "Debrett's, Carol Buchanan (Mrs Julian Spear) Royle".
- ^ "Carol Royle Website". Archived from the original on 12 May 2016.
- ^ "Life Without George". 12 March 1987. p. 63 – via BBC Genome.
- ^ "Heartbeat - S7 - Episode 9: Sons and Lovers". Radio Times.
- ^ "BFI Screenonline: Blackeyes (1989)". www.screenonline.org.uk.
- ^ "Carol Royle". www.aveleyman.com.
- ^ a b "Carol Royle Website, Carol's Biography". Archived from the original on 20 December 2016.
- ^ "Coronation Street star's husband dies after jumping into unheated pool". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 December 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ Campbell, Tina (11 December 2024). "Coronation Street star Carol Royle reveals death of husband after freak swimming pool accident". The Standard.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Carol Royle at the British Film Institute[better source needed]
- Carol Royle at IMDb
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