Biographie
Thelma Barlow (née Pigott) is an English television actress and writer, best known for her roles as Mavis Wilton in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street and Dolly Bellfield in the sitcom Dinnerladies.
Born in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, Barlow was the younger of two daughters. Her father, Tommy, a cabinet maker, passed away from pneumonia five weeks before her birth, and she was raised by her mother, Margaret. During her childhood, the family relocated to Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Barlow left school at 15 and attended Huddersfield Technical College to study shorthand and typing. She worked as a secretary for eight years while participating in an amateur dramatics group. Eventually, she decided to pursue acting professionally, joining the Joan Littlewood Theatre Group. In the 1950s, she performed in repertory theatre in Liverpool, Nottingham, and Birmingham. In 1960, she became part of the West of England Theatre Company, followed by the Bristol Old Vic Theatre Company, where she also managed a boarding house for fellow actors. In 1956, she married set designer Graham Barlow; they had two children, Clive and James, before divorcing in 1983.
Barlow's first television appearance was in A Stranger on the Hill in 1970. The following year, while performing in Liverpool, she was invited to audition for the role of Mavis Riley in Coronation Street. She was successful, with her first episode airing on 14 August 1971, although the character became a regular from 1973 when she joined the staff at "The Kabin." Barlow remained on the show for 26 years, appearing in nearly 2,000 episodes until she left after her on-screen husband Derek's departure. Her final episode aired on 10 October 1997, in which Mavis moved to the Lake District. During her time on Coronation Street, Barlow shared a flat with co-star Helen Worth and later relocated to Settle, where she filmed a TV show from her garden.
Following Coronation Street, Barlow’s next significant role was Dolly Bellfield in Victoria Wood's sitcom Dinnerladies, which aired for two series from 1998 to 2000.
Since leaving Coronation Street, Barlow has also appeared on stage.
In June 2014, she narrated the 30-minute documentary "Gail & Me: 40 Years on Coronation Street," celebrating Helen Worth’s career as Gail Platt on the show.
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