Penelope Keith: Last News

SITCOM legend Peter Bowles left his £300,000 estate to his wife and three children. The star of BBC’s To The Manor Born died of cancer aged 85 in March.

Actress Angela Thorne, best known for starring in To The Manor Born and the mother of Rupert Penry-Jones, has died aged 84. She played Marjory Frobisher in the BBC sitcom opposite Penelope Keith from 1979 to 1981 as well as appearing in a string of long-running shows including Midsomer Murders.Thorne, who is also the mother of actor Laurence Penry-Jones, was nominated for an Olivier Award for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in Anyone for Denis? when she turned her hand to the stage.

Now the veteran actress is gearing up for a real life battle after she was ousted as president of a leading actors’ charity.Dame Penelope, 82, and fellow stars Dame Sian Phillips and James Bolam, are expected to clash with trustees of the Actors’ Benevolent Fund at an emergency meeting on Friday.The actress, best known for The Good Life and To The Manor Born, was ABF president for 32 years until she was ousted in February along with other trustees.Since then, a long-running row between the old and new trustees has led to accusations over the governance of the ABF whose patron is the king.It is understood the charity has been warned it is in breach of its rules by not having a president or honorary treasurer.Dame Penelope said: “A public argument is the last thing we wanted. It is an unnecessary distraction from the essential work the fund undertakes and a waste of charity resources.

EastEnders actor John Altman reckons his on-screen mum June Brown should have been a legend of the big screen. John - famous as Dot Cotton's wayward son Nasty Nick on the soap - claimed that they took the BBC show roles for the cash and that decision cost them bigger roles in the movies.He said: "I truly believe that June could have been a Penelope Keith or a Vanessa Redgrave if she'd had the 'Sliding Doors' moment we used to talk about.

SUAVE actor Peter Bowles was Britain’s favourite toff – despite being the son of servants and growing up in modest circumstances. Peter, who died yesterday of cancer aged 85, shot to stardom as nouveau riche supermarket owner Richard DeVere in BBC sitcom To The Manor Born from 1979 to 1981.

K.J. Yossman Peter Bowles, the British star of shows including “To The Manor Born” and “Rumpole of the Bailey,” has died. He was 85.

BBC show to discuss her time on the popular vintage show.Flaunting her youthful appearance four decades after The Good Life, Felicity tells Graham that she loved acting drunk when she played Barbara on the iconic sitcom.She refers to her screen husband Tom, played by Richard Briers, and their neighbours, Penelope Keith's Margo and Paul Eddington's Jerry, as she shares stories from her time on the show.She says: "I love acting p****d and we thought it would be very funny if we became as drunk as Jerry and Tom."The head of the BBC said Barbara and Margot can't get drunk because they are so loved by the audience."We fought really hard to do it and eventually we did that scene.

 “It'll be fine or I will get fired.”Felicity also reflected on her time as part of the hit 1970s sitcom The Good Life’s cast.She played Barbara Good in the series and discussed the struggle that she and co-star Penelope Keith experienced when they wanted to portray their characters drunk.  She said: “I love acting p****d and we thought it would be very funny if we became as drunk as Jerry and Tom, but the head of the BBC said Barbara and Margot can't get drunk because they are so loved by the audience. “We fought really hard to do it and eventually we did that scene. “It's interesting to see how far we've come – now everyone is p****d.”Felicity previously shared that she has had Botox.Addressing her beauty regime, the star told the Sunday