Actress Stephanie Cole, who appeared in several productions at Chichester Festival Theatre and the Minerva Theatre, has died at the age of 84.
Cole, best known for roles in Coronation Street, Doc Martin, Waiting For God and Open All Hours, had a long and distinguished career across television, theatre, film and radio.
Her Chichester appearances included Separate Tables in 2009, when she played Mrs Railton-Bell alongside Iain Glen and Gina McKee.
She returned the following year to play Mrs Higgins in Pygmalion, while her earlier stage work also included an appearance at the Minerva Theatre.
Her agent John Grant confirmed she died on Friday morning after living with Alzheimer’s disease for a number of years.
Cole became a familiar face to millions through a string of high-profile television roles.
She played Dr Beatrice “Bea” Mason in the BBC wartime drama Tenko and later became known for her comedy work as Diana Trent in Waiting For God.
She also appeared alongside David Jason in Open All Hours and its later revival, Still Open All Hours.
In ITV’s Doc Martin, she played Joan Norton, the aunt of Martin Clunes’s title character.
Coronation Street viewers knew her as Sylvia Goodwin, the sharp-tongued mother of Roy Cropper, a role which earned her the British Soap Award for Best Comedy Performance in 2012.
Cole’s career also included later appearances in productions including Gentleman Jack and The Cleaner.
She was appointed an OBE in 2005 for services to drama, elderly people and mental health charities.
Her death brings to a close a career spanning several decades and generations of British television and theatre audiences.
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