Question: who did anne reid play in coronation street
Answer: Anne Reid , MBE ( born 28 May 1935 ) is an English stage , film and television actress , known for her roles as Valerie Barlow in the soap opera Coronation Street ( 1961 -- 71 ) ; Jean in the sitcom Dinnerladies ( 1998 -- 2000 ) ; and her BAFTA - nominated role as Celia Dawson in Last Tango in Halifax ( 2012 -- present ) .