Madge Hindle was born in 1938 in Blackburn. She has worked several times in the dramas of Alan Bennett including “On the Margin”, “Sunset Across the Bay” and “Intensive Care”. She starred in “Coronation Streeas Renee Roberts, wife of Alf but in 1980 was written out in a car accident. She has also been in the tv series “Porridge”.
“Wikipedia” entry:
Hindle’s big break came when her good friend, playwright Alan Bennett, asked her to appear in his 1966 BBC comedy series On the Margin.[1]
From 1968 to 1973, she played the role of Lily Tattersall on the series Nearest and Dearest. When the series’ director, Bill Podmore, took over as producer of Coronation Street, he thought of her when he created the role of the feisty shopkeeper, Renee Bradshaw.[2]
Hindle joined the cast as Renee Bradshaw in 1976. In 1978, Renee was married to the character Alf Roberts (played by Bryan Mosley). However, in 1980, Renee was killed when her car was struck by a lorry. Hindle remains philosophical about her character’s death in Coronation Street, saying that if they had to write her out, at least they killed her, which meant she would never be tempted to return, thus risking typecasting.
In 1972 she appeared on This Is Your Life as a guest for her Nearest and Dearest co-star, fellow Lancashire actress Hylda Baker.
She has appeared in two of Alan Bennett‘s television plays: Sunset Across the Bay (1975) and Intensive Care (1982). She has worked in several productions with Ronnie Barker, playing the governor’s secretary Mrs Hesketh in the BBC sitcom Porridge and also made two appearances in Barker’s other sitcom Open All Hours. She co-starred with Barker again in The Two Ronnies’ 1982 almost-silent TV film By the Sea.
Most recently, Hindle had a recurring role alongside Gwen Taylor in the 1990s sitcom Barbara.[3] She played the role until 2003.
In addition to being an actress, Hindle was Mayoress of Blackburn when her mother became Mayor.
Her daughter, Charlotte Hindle, rose to prominence in the 1980s as a presenter on the Saturday morning children’s show Get Fresh.
Hindle is also the Honorary Vice-President of Blackburn Arts Club, an amateur dramatic society. Along with her husband Michael, she appeared in many productions for the club during the 1960s.
She now lives, with her husband Michael, near Settle in North Yorkshire, in a converted farmhouse that she originally bought with good friend Russell Harty.
The above IMDB entry can also be accessed online here.
