Barbara Flynn
Acting • Born 1948-08-05
Biography
Barbara Joy Flynn (born 5 August 1948) is an English actress. She first came to prominence playing Freda Ashton in the ITV drama series A Family at War (1970–1972). She went on to play the milk woman in the BBC comedy Open All Hours (1976–1985), Jill Swinburne in The Beiderbecke Trilogy (1985–1988), Dr. Rose Marie in the BBC series A Very Peculiar Practice (1986–1988), Judith Fitzgerald in the ITV drama Cracker (1993–1995), and Mrs. Jamieson in Cranford (2007–2009). In 2021, she appeared in Doctor Who: Flux as Tecteun, a founder of Time Lord society and The Doctor's adopted mother. Starting in 2023, she acted in Beyond Paradise, playing the mother of the detective's girlfriend. This included some episodes in 2024 where she was reunited with Peter Davison, her A Very Peculiar Practice co-star. In her own words, she tends to play "feisty, strong women"
Filmography
91 credits
Miss Potter
Movie • 2006
Helen Potter
The 7/7 Bombers: A Psychological Investigation
Movie • 2005
Voice
The Escort
Movie • 1999
Kim's Mother
Christmas at the Riviera
Movie • 2007
Rita
Dear Nobody
Movie • 1998
Chris' Mother
Cheerful Weather for the Wedding
Movie • 2012
Aunt Bella
Just Henry
Movie • 2011
Mrs Beaumont
Diana: The Curse of the Spencers
Movie • 2022
Narrator
King Lear
Movie • 1998
Goneril
The Christmas Candle
Movie • 2013
Lady Camdon
Benefactors
Movie • 1989
The Flying Scotsman: A Rail Romance
Movie • 2013
Narrator (Voice)
Hornblower: Loyalty
Movie • 2003
Mrs. Mason
You're Dead...
Movie • 1999
Prof. Corner
Season's Greetings
Movie • 1986
Belinda
Rosalind Franklin: DNA's Dark Lady
Movie • 2003
Narrator
Lorna Doone
Movie • 2001
Sarah Ridd
The Man Who Would Be Kubrick
Movie • 1999
Self - Narrator
Day To Remember
Movie • 1986
Judy
The Flight Fund
Movie • 1975
Angie
Hornblower: Duty
Movie • 2003
Mrs. Mason
1978: The Winter of Discontent
Movie • 2022
Narrator
George Orwell: A Life In Pictures
Movie • 2003
Narrator
Burlesque Fairytales
Movie • 2010
Mrs. Argyle
The Marchioness Disaster
Movie • 2008
Eileen Dallaglio
Night Flight
Movie • 2002
Moira
Cracker: Nine Eleven
Movie • 2006
Judith Fitzgerald
Love on a Gunboat
Movie • 1977
Monica Potter
The Vanishing Man
Movie • 1997
Me Jeffries
No Visible Scar
Movie • 1981
Margaret Hanson
A Mother Like Him
Movie • 1982
Jill
Britannia Hospital
Movie • 1982
Private Nurse
Standing in for Henry
Movie • 1980
Heather
Bosses From Hell
Movie • 1989
A Lion Called Christian
Movie • 2009
Self - Narrator(voice)
Cracker
TV • 1993
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries
TV • 2002
Maureen Finnegan
Death in Paradise
TV • 2011
Patti Grenson
Inspector Morse
TV • 1987
Monica Height
Joshua Jones
TV • 1991
The Beiderbecke Connection
TV • 1988
Jill Swinburne
The Beiderbecke Tapes
TV • 1987
Jill Swinburne
The Beiderbecke Affair
TV • 1985
Jill Swinburne
Malice Aforethought
TV • 2005
Julia Bickleigh
Wives and Daughters
TV • 1999
Miss Browning
Pat & Cabbage
TV • 2013
Pat
The Barchester Chronicles
TV • 1982
Mary Bold
Cranford
TV • 2007
Mrs Jamieson
The Forsyte Saga
TV • 2002
Emily Forsyte
Maigret
TV • 1992
Hornblower
TV • 1998
Mrs Mason
Cracker
TV • 1993
Judith Fitzgerald
My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding
TV • 2010
Narrator (voice)
The Queen
TV • 2009
The Queen
The Queen's Castle
TV • 2005
Narrator (Voice)
Performance
TV • 1991
Goneril
Moving On
TV • 2009
Carol
Doctor Who
TV • 2005
Awsok
1864
TV • 2014
Queen Victoria
Perfect
TV • 2001
Imogen
Sea of Souls
TV • 2004
Lt Col Petra Summers
The New Adventures of Lucky Jim
TV • 1982
Joanna Lassiter
The Line of Beauty
TV • 2006
Sally Tipper
Elizabeth I
TV • 2005
Mary Queen of Scots
Cracker
TV • 1993
Judith
Lorna Doone
TV • 2000
Sarah Ridd
He Knew He Was Right
TV • 2004
Mrs. French
Play for Today
TV • 1970
Monica Potter
Jet! When Britain Ruled the Skies
TV • 2012
Herself - Narrator
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip
TV • 2011
Self - Participant
Agatha Christie's Poirot
TV • 1989
Mrs Allerton
Killing Eve
TV • 2018
Julia
Beyond Paradise
TV • 2023
Anne Lloyd
Play for Today
TV • 1970
Margaret Hanson
Play for Today
TV • 1970
Jill
The Durrells
TV • 2016
Aunt Hermione
Murder in Mind
TV • 2001
Grace Fisher
Playhouse
TV • 1974
Heather
A Very Peculiar Practice
TV • 1986
Dr Rose Marie
Murder Most English: A Flaxborough Chronicle
TV • 1977
Pauline Sutton
Silent Witness
TV • 1996
Carol Fisher
Secrets of the Royals: Births, Marriages and Deaths
TV • 2025
Narrator
A Family at War
TV • 1970
Freda MacKenzie
A Family at War
TV • 1970
Freda Ashton
Chandler & Co
TV • 1994
Dee Tate
The Vanishing Man
TV • 1997
Dr Jeffries
The Forsyte Saga
TV • 2002
Emily
Open All Hours
TV • 1976
The Milk Woman
Centre Play
TV • 1973
Angie
The Borgias
TV • 2011
Isabella
Guarding The Queen
TV • 2007
Narrator