
Linda Bassett
Born
February 4, 1950 (75 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Pluckley, Kent, England, UK
Linda Bassett was born in the Kentish village of Pluckley - location for the television series The Darling Buds of May (1991). She was brought up in Pimlico, South London, by her typist mother and police officer father. She became interested in acting as a child when she was frequently taken to see plays in London, most notably at the Old Vic, the famous classical theater. On leaving school, Linda went to work at the Old Vic as an usherette and catering manager, before going to read English at Leeds University. However, she dropped out after a year and became involved in a local drama group which put on plays in community-based locations, such as schools. She regards this as her theatrical schooling, having had no formal training. She made her London stage debut at the age of 32 in 1982 and, in 1991, joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. Although she was a well-regarded stage performer, it was the 1999 film version of the play East Is East (1999) (in which she had been an original stage cast member) which brought her to a larger audience and, throughout the 2000s, she has been a familiar face in a variety of films and television series. In the late 1980s, she returned to live in Pluckley.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
Queenie
2023

Careful How You Go
2018

Strike
Joan Nancarrow · (4 episodes)
2017

Carnage: Swallowing the Past
Dr Yasmine Vondenburg
2017

Effie Gray
Anna
2014

National Theatre Live: People
Iris
2013

Spies of Warsaw
Malka Rosen · (2 episodes)
2013

The Life and Adventures of Nick Nickleby
Mrs. Smike · (5 episodes)
2012

Call the Midwife
Phyllis Crane · (79 episodes)
2012

West Is West
Ella Khan
2010

Grandma's House
Grandma · (12 episodes)
2010

The Reader
Ms. Brenner
2008

Lark Rise to Candleford
Queenie Turrill · (40 episodes)
2008

Cass
Doll
2008

Sense and Sensibility
Mrs. Jennings · (3 episodes)
2008
The English Harem
Monica Pringle
2005

Colour Me Kubrick
Trolley Lady
2005

Separate Lies
Maggie
2005

Kinky Boots
Mel
2005

Spivs
Auntie Vee
2004

The Brief
Maureen Tyler · (8 episodes)
2004

Calendar Girls
Cora
2003

This Little Life
Nurse Nina
2003

The Hours
Nelly Boxall
2002

The Martins
Anthea
2001

Don Quixote
Housekeeper
2000
Lounge Act
2000

Beautiful People
Sister
1999

East Is East
Ella Khan
1999

dinnerladies
Peggy · (1 episode)
1998

Far from the Madding Crowd
Maryann Money
1998

Spoonface Steinberg
Mrs. Spud
1998

Our Mutual Friend
(4 episodes)
1998

The Life and Crimes of William Palmer
Mary Thornton
1998

Oscar and Lucinda
Betty Stratton
1997

Midsomer Murders
Eileen Carnack · (1 episode)
1997

Alive and Kicking
Doctor
1996

No Bananas
Ellen Slater · (10 episodes)
1996

Mary Reilly
Mary's Mother
1996

Haunted
Madame Brontski
1995

Loved Up
Mum
1995

Bramwell
Maud · (1 episode)
1995

A Village Affair
Gwen
1995

Kavanagh Q.C.
Miss Haddon QC · (1 episode)
1995

In The Cold Light Of Day
Mrs. Loveless
1994

Skallagrigg
Susan
1994
Frank Stubbs Promotes
Eileen · (1 episode)
1993

A Touch of Frost
(1 episode)
1992

Heartbeat
Beryl Palmer · (1 episode)
1992

A Small Dance
Sandra Matkin
1991

Let Him Have It
Mrs. Miles
1991

News Hounds
Virginia Lyddon
1990

Paris by Night
Janet Swanton
1989

Waiting for the Moon
Gertrude Stein
1987

Casualty
Olwyn Humphries · (1 episode)
1986

The Bill
(1 episode)
1984

Dramarama
(1 episode)
1983