Pauline Collins

**Pauline Collins**  (3 September 1940 – 5 November 2025) was an English actress of stage, television, and movies. Her first major role was in 1971 as Sarah Moffat in *Upstairs, Downstairs*. In 1988, Collins played the title role in the play *Shirley Valentine*. In 1989, she reprised the role in the movie adaptation. She won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. In 1992, she released her autobiography, titled *Letter to Louise*.

## Early life and career
Collins was born in Exmouth, Devon. Her mother was a school teacher. Her father was a school headmaster. Her great-uncle was Irish poet Jeremiah Joseph Callanan.

Collins was educated at Sacred Heart High School. She studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She worked as a teacher until 1962. She then made her stage debut at Windsor in *A Gazelle in Park Lane*. In 1965, she made her West End debut in *Passion Flower Hotel*. During the play's run, she made her first movie, *Secrets of a Windmill Girl*. It was released in 1966.

Collins played Samantha Briggs in the 1967 *Doctor Who* serial *The Faceless Ones*. She declined an offer of a role as a new companion for the Doctor.

Other early TV credits include the UK's first medical soap *Emergency - Ward 10* (1960).  In 1969, she was in the pilot episode and first series of *The Liver Birds*.

Collins first became well known for her role as the maid Sarah in the 1970s ITV drama series *Upstairs, Downstairs*. The character was in the first two series. In the second series she appeared with her actor husband, John Alderton. In 1979, they starred in a spin-off, *Thomas & Sarah*. They also starred in the sitcom *No, Honestly*. This was written by Terence Brady and Charlotte Bingham. From 1975 to 1978, they worked together in a series of short-story adaptations called *Wodehouse Playhouse*. In 1983, they narrated the animated British children's TV series *Little Miss*.

In April 1972, she was a subject of the television programme *This Is Your Life*, being surprised by Eamonn Andrews.

In 1973, in her *Upstairs, Downstairs* role, Collins recorded a single for Decca called *What Are We Going to Do with Uncle Arthur?*. It was performed by her character several times during the series. The 'B' side was *With Every Passing Day* (a vocal version of the show's theme).

## *Shirley Valentine*
In 1988, Collins starred in the one-woman play *Shirley Valentine* in London. In 1989 she reprised the role on Broadway. She was then in the 1989 movie version. The movie won a number of awards and nominations. Both the play and the feature movie used the technique known as "breaking the fourth wall". The character Shirley Valentine directly addresses the audience throughout the story. 

## After *Shirley Valentine*
Collins starred alongside her husband in the popular ITV drama series *Forever Green*. This was created and written by Terence Brady and Charlotte Bingham. It was about a couple who start a new life in the country with their children. It ran from 1989 to 1992 in over 18 episodes. 

In 1990, Collins was voted sexiest woman in Britain.  

In 2006, she became only the third actor to have been in both the original and new series of *Doctor Who*. She appeared in the episode "Tooth and Claw" as Queen Victoria. 

In 2015, she appeared as Mrs Gamp in the BBC TV series *Dickensian*.

In the 2001 Birthday Honours, Collins was agiven an OBE  for services to drama.

## Personal life
Collins married actor John Alderton in 1969 and lives in Hampstead, London, with her husband and their three children, Nicholas, Kate, and Richard. She also has an older daughter with actor Tony Rohr, Louise, whom she gave up for adoption. They were reunited when Louise was 22 years old.

Collins died from problems caused by Parkinson's disease in London in November 2025, at the age of 85.

## TV and filmography
## Awards and nominations
*Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress (**winner**)
*Tony Award in 1989 for Best Actress in a Play (**winner**)
*Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut (**winner**)
*Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play (**winner**)
*Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Actress (**winner**)
*Academy Award for Best Actress (nominee)
*Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, Comedy or Musical (nominee)
*BAFTA for Best Film Actress (**winner**)

## References
## Other websites
*
*Pauline Collins images
*2001 profile
*Article about Collins' receipt of the OBE
*Pauline Collins (Aveleyman)
*Pauline Collins' appearance on This Is Your Life