Amanda Barrie (born Shirley Anne Broadbent; 14 September 1935) is an English actress. She appeared in two of the Carry On films before being cast as Alma Halliwell in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, a role she played on and off for 20 years. Between 2003 and 2006, she played the role of Bev Tull in the ITV prison drama, Bad Girls. Barrie has since enjoyed a varied stage and television career.
Early life and education Barrie was born Shirley Anne Broadbent in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, to Herbert Broadbent and his wife Connie (née Pike). She attended St Anne's College, Lytham St Annes, then trained at the Arts Educational Schools in London and later at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Career Barrie appeared in pantomime as a child and was a dancer before working for many years as a chorus girl in the West End until her first break as an actress came along. At sixteen she danced at the Windsor Club with Danny La Rue and Barbara Windsor, changing her name before making her West End debut in 1961's Babes in the Wood. Throughout the 1960s, Barrie worked on many stage productions including Cabaret, Private Lives, Hobson's Choice and Aladdin.
Barrie made her screen debut in the comedy film Operation Bullshine in 1959, leading to roles in films including What a Whopper and Doctor in Distress. Barrie then starred in two of the Carry On films, a long-running series of British comedy films: she had a supporting part as a cab driver in Carry On Cabby (1963) and took the title role in Carry On Cleo (1964).
In 1965, Barrie starred alongside Billy Fury in his film I've Gotta Horse. Barrie continued to appear in many television series into the 1970s as well as presenting Hickory House with former Coronation Street star Alan Rothwell between 1973 and 1977. In 1975, Barrie played Mrs. B.J. Spence in the Walt Disney film One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing. After roles in a string of one-off television plays and series, she appeared in a guest role as a ballet mistress in the BBC comedy series Are You Being Served? in 1979. In 1982, she starred alongside Brian Murphy in L for Lester, a sitcom about a driving instructor.
Barrie is well known for playing Alma Sedgewick (later Baldwin), in Coronation Street. She was a bit-player in the early to mid-1980s, before she was offered a contract in 1988, after which her character became high-profile. (By coincidence, in 1966 she had appeared in Pardon the Expression, a spin-off of Coronation Street). She continued in the role until her departure in 2001. In the story, Alma was diagnosed with cervical cancer, which later caused her death.
Since leaving Coronation Street, Barrie has continued to act, firstly as Margo Phillips in the BBC medical soap opera Doctors for nine episodes, and in the ITV1 prison series Bad Girls, playing inmate Bev Tull from the fifth series to the last, along with Phyl Oswyn played by Stephanie Beacham. The characters together were known as "The Costa Cons".
She also became one of the celebrities who took part in Hell's Kitchen and attempted to slap Gordon Ramsay in the face. In 2004, she published her autobiography, It's Not A Rehearsal. In 2005 she appeared as the Wicked Witch of the West in a pantomime adaptation of The Wizard of Oz in Oxford. She took part in a pantomime edition of The Weakest Link, dressed as the witch to raise money for charity but she was voted off in the second round. From November 2006 to January 2007, Barrie took a starring role in the pantomime adaptation of Jack and the Beanstalk in Canterbury. From December 2007 to January 2008, she appeared as the Fairy Godmother in the pantomime adaptation of Cinderella at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. From December 2008 to January 2009, she played the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella at the Grand Theatre, Blackpool. She again played the role from December 2009 to January 2010 in Rhyl. In December 2010 and January 2011 she played the role in Bournemouth. She played the role again from December 2011 to January 2012 in Worthing. On Tuesday 7 August 2012 she appeared in the BBC drama Holby City as actress Annabella Casey. She again played the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella at the Marina Theatre in Lowestoft from December 2013 to January 2014.
In June 2014, Barrie returned to the set of Coronation Street for a 30-minute documentary entitled Gail & Me: 40 Years on Coronation Street, and was reunited with former co-stars and friends. From 2015 to 2017, Barrie had a recurring role as a fortune teller nicknamed Psychic Sue in the sitcom Benidorm. In 2015, she starred in the film Tea for Two alongside John Challis as a couple who run a tea room, before having a role in the 2018 drama film Together with Sylvia Syms and Peter Bowles. In January 2018, Barrie took part in Celebrity Big Brother.
In the summer of 2019, Barrie appeared in series 2 of Celebrity 5 Go Barging, exploring canals around Staffordshire and Warwickshire by narrowboat. In September 2025, Barrie published her second autobiography, I'm Still Here.
Personal life Barrie had a relationship with singer Billy Fury in the mid-1960s after they met while filming I've Gotta Horse. Fury proposed to her, but she did not accept.
In 1967, Barrie married theatre director and actor Robin Hunter. They separated in the mid-1980s, but never divorced; he died in 2004. The couple had no children. She came out as bisexual in her autobiography It's Not a Rehearsal. On 12 September 2014, she married her long-term partner Hilary Bonner. The couple live in homes in Somerset's Blackdown Hills and in London.
Barrie is a distant cousin of Coronation Street co-star Sally Ann Matthews, who plays Jenny Bradley.
Stage and screen credits Film Year Title Role Notes1955 Value for Money Dancer Uncredited1959 Operation Bullshine A.T.S. Girl Minor role1961 Don't Bother to Knock American GirlWhat a Whopper Chelsea Girl Uncredited1962 A Pair of Briefs Exotic Snake Dancer Minor role1963 Doctor in Distress Rona Supporting roleCarry On Cabby Anthea Main role1964 Carry On Cleo Cleopatra1965 I've Gotta Horse Jo1968 Koroshi Rosemary1975 One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing Mrs. B.J. Spence Supporting role1979 Quadrophenia Mother Scene cut2015 Tea for Two Alice Short film2018 Together Margaret Supporting role
Television Year Title Role Notes 1954 Running Wild (unknown) 6 episodes 1957 This Is the Henry Hall Show Dancer 5 episodes 1959 Set to Music Dancer Television film 1960 ITV Play of the Week Flora Episode: "The Two Bouquets"1961The Seven Faces of Jim Muriel Episode: "The Face of Dedication" Maudie Glover Episode: "The Face of Enthusiasm"1962 Playbox Margaret Palethorpe Episodes: #7.8 and #7.12 Compact Marilyn Wayne Episode: "Musical Evening" Bulldog Breed Sandra Prentiss All 7 episodes1963 ITV Television Playhouse Cigarette Girl Episode: "Adam's Apple" Playbox Gloria Green Episode: #8.10 Jezebel ex UK Jackie Episode: "Sanderson and the Sea" More Faces of Jim Velvet O'Toole Episode: "A Matter of Upbringing" 1964–1965 It's Tarbuck Various 6 episodes1966 Pardon the Expression Judy Best Episode: "Whose Baby are You?" Comedy Playhouse Geraldine Woods Episode: "The Reluctant Romeo" The Wednesday Play Jada Episode: "A Tale of Two Wives"1967 Danger Man Rosemary Episode: "Koroshi" Sanctuary (unknown) Episode: "The Mission" The Reluctant Romeo Geraldine Woods All 7 episodes1968 ITV Playhouse Mavis Pritchard Episode: "Horizontal Hold" Ooh La La! Pepita Lambelle 6 episodes (series 1) 1969 Thirty-Minute Theatre Janet 4 episodes1971 The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder Ethel Gibson Episode: "Death of an Angel" BBC Play of the Month Hermia Episode: "A Midsummer Night's Dream" 1973 Ooh La La! Pepita Lambelle Episode: "Paying the Piper"1976 The Many Wives of Patrick Amy Episode: "Internal Disputes"Play for Today Joyce Episode: "Early Struggles" Anne Episode: "Buffet" The Venetian Twins (unknown) Television film1977 BBC Play of the Month Mrs. Squeamish Episode: "The Country Wife" Miss Jones and Son Wanda Episode: "Baby Talk" 1978 Strangers Mrs. Parker Episode: "Paying Guests" 1979 Are You Being Served? Ballet Mistress Episode: "Strong Stuff This Insurance"1980 Time of My Life Joan Archer 5 episodes Spooner's Patch Spooner's Girlfriend Episode: "Spooner's Patch Thatch" 1981–2001 Coronation Street Alma Baldwin 1,136 episodes 1982 L for Lester Sally Small All 6 episodes 2002 Dick Whittington Queen of Tonga Television film 2003–2004 Doctors Margo Phillips 9 episodes 2003–2006 Bad Girls Beverley Tull 41 episodes (series 5–8) 2012 Holby City Annabella Casey Episode: "Crimes and Misdemeanours" 2013 Doctors Cath Horton Episode: "In Good Health" 2015–2017 Benidorm Psychic Sue 3 episodes 2017 Holby City Jenny Cox Episode: "Project Aurous"2018 The Bar Mitzvah Hillary All 6 episodes Carol and Vinnie (unknown) Television film 2022–2023 Casualty Elsie Clegg 4 episodes 2026 Amandaland Amanda Barrie Episode: "Comic Relief Special"
Stage Year Title Role Venue 1958–1959 Grab Me a Gondola Bristol Hippodrome 1962 See You Inside Various locations1963–1964 Green Room Rag Various Adelphi Theatre Six of One Various Adelphi Theatre 1964 She Loves Me Ilona Ritter Lyric Theatre, London 1964–1965 Little by Little Little Theatre, Bristol1965 The Beggar's Opera Little Theatre, Bristol Hobson's Choice Little Theatre, Bristol A Public Mischief Bridget Theatre Royal, Newcastle 1966 Any Wednesday Ellen Shaftesbury Theatre 1967–1968 Aladdin Watford Palace Theatre1968 Private Lives Amanda Prynne Watford Palace Theatre Lord Arthur Savile's Crime Sybil Merton Various locations 1969 A Talent to Amuse Phoenix Theatre, London 1970 The Mating Game Julia Carrington Lyceum Theatre1972 Come When You Like Olive Ashton Theatre Royal, Bath Who's Who? Helen Brown Yvonne Arnaud Theatre 1973 Oh, Kay! Kay Various locations 1974–1975 Absurd Person Singular Marion Vaudeville Theatre 1975–1976 A Touch of Spring Alison Ames Harold Pinter Theatre 1976–1977 The Wizard of Oz Birmingham Repertory Theatre 1976–1978 Donkey's Years Lady Driver Various locations1979 Ten Times Table Helen Yvonne Arnaud Theatre The French Have a Song for It Various Piccadilly Theatre 1979–1980 Aladdin Aladdin Churchill Theatre, Bromley 1983 The Golf Umbrella Various Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon1984 Stepping Out Mavis Duke of York's Theatre, London Noises Off Dotty Otley Savoy Theatre 1984–1985 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Towngate Theatre 1985 The Cabinet Mole Various locations 1987–1988 Aladdin The Princess Kings Theatre, Southsea 1988 Kindly Keep It Covered Julia Dickerby Various locations 1989 Star Quality Nora Mitchell Richmond Theatre (London) 2001–2002 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Wicked Queen Bradford Alhambra 2002–2003 Aladdin The Genie Birmingham Hippodrome 2006–2007 Jack and the Beanstalk Spirit of the Beans Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury 2007–2008 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage 2008–2009 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Grand Theatre, Blackpool 2009–2010 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Rhyll Pavilion 2010–2011 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Bournemouth Pavilion 2011–2012 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Connaught Theatre, Worthing 2012–2013 The Wizard of Oz Wicked Witch of the West New Theatre Oxford 2013–2014 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Marina Theatre, Lowestoft 2018–2019 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Marina Theatre, Lowestoft 2021–2022 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Queen's Theatre, Barnstaple
References
External links