Barbara Flynn
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"
Born: 05 August 1948
Played In
Movie
May 2026
Open All Hours: Inside Out
TV Show
Nov 2025
Secrets of the Royals: Births, Marriages and Deaths
Narrator
TV Show
Feb 2023
Beyond Paradise
Anne Lloyd
Movie
Nov 2022
Diana: The Curse of the Spencers
Narrator
Movie
Oct 2022
1978: The Winter of Discontent
Narrator
TV Show
Mar 2020
Kate & Koji
Councillor Lavinia Bone
TV Show
Apr 2018
Killing Eve
Julia
TV Show
Apr 2016
The Durrells
Aunt Hermione
TV Show
Oct 2014
1864
Queen Victoria
Movie
Nov 2013
The Christmas Candle
Lady Camdon
TV Show
Sep 2013
Pat & Cabbage
Pat
Movie
Mar 2013
The Flying Scotsman: A Rail Romance
Narrator (Voice)
Movie
Dec 2012
Cheerful Weather for the Wedding
Aunt Bella
TV Show
Aug 2012
Jet! When Britain Ruled the Skies
Herself - Narrator
Movie
Dec 2011
Just Henry
Mrs Beaumont
TV Show
Oct 2011
Death in Paradise
Patti Grenson
TV Show
Oct 2011
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip
Self - Participant
TV Show
Apr 2011
The Borgias
Isabella
TV Show
Feb 2010
My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding
Narrator (voice)
Movie
Jan 2010
Burlesque Fairytales
Mrs. Argyle
TV Show
Nov 2009
The Queen
The Queen
TV Show
May 2009
Moving On
Carol
Movie
Mar 2009
A Lion Called Christian
Self - Narrator(voice)
Movie
Nov 2008
The Marchioness Disaster
Eileen Dallaglio
Movie
Dec 2007
Christmas at the Riviera
Rita
TV Show
Nov 2007
Cranford
Mrs Jamieson
TV Show
Jul 2007
Guarding The Queen
Narrator
Movie
Dec 2006
Miss Potter
Helen Potter
Movie
Oct 2006
Cracker: Nine Eleven
Judith Fitzgerald
TV Show
May 2006
The Line of Beauty
Sally Tipper
Movie
Oct 2005
The 7/7 Bombers: A Psychological Investigation
Voice
TV Show
Sep 2005
Elizabeth I
Mary Queen of Scots
TV Show
Apr 2005
Malice Aforethought
Julia Bickleigh
TV Show
Mar 2005
The Queen's Castle
Narrator (Voice)
TV Show
Mar 2005
Doctor Who
Awsok
TV Show
Apr 2004
He Knew He Was Right
Mrs French
TV Show
Feb 2004
Sea of Souls
Lt Col Petra Summers
Movie
Jun 2003
George Orwell: A Life In Pictures
Narrator
Movie
Apr 2003
Rosalind Franklin: DNA's Dark Lady
Narrator
Movie
Jan 2003
Hornblower: Duty
Mrs. Mason
Movie
Jan 2003
Hornblower: Loyalty
Mrs. Mason
TV Show
Apr 2002
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries
Maureen Finnegan
TV Show
Apr 2002
The Forsyte Saga
Emily Forsyte
TV Show
Apr 2002
The Forsyte Saga
Emily
Movie
Feb 2002
Night Flight
Moira
TV Show
Apr 2001
Perfect
Imogen
TV Show
Apr 2001
Murder in Mind
Grace Fisher
Movie
Mar 2001
Lorna Doone
Sarah Ridd
TV Show
Dec 2000
Lorna Doone
Sarah Ridd
TV Show
Nov 1999
Wives and Daughters
Miss Browning
Movie
Nov 1999
The Escort
Kim's Mother
Movie
Oct 1999
You're Dead...
Prof. Corner
Movie
Sep 1999
The Man Who Would Be Kubrick
Self - Narrator
TV Show
Oct 1998
Hornblower
Mrs Mason
Movie
Mar 1998
King Lear
Goneril
Movie
Feb 1998
Dear Nobody
Chris' Mother
TV Show
Apr 1997
The Vanishing Man
Dr Jeffries
Movie
Apr 1997
The Vanishing Man
Me Jeffries
TV Show
Feb 1996
Silent Witness
Carol Fisher
TV Show
Jul 1994
Chandler & Co
Dee Tate
TV Show
Sep 1993
Cracker
TV Show
Sep 1993
Cracker
Judith Fitzgerald
TV Show
Sep 1993
Cracker
Judith
TV Show
Feb 1992
Maigret
TV Show
Oct 1991
Performance
Goneril
TV Show
Sep 1991
Joshua Jones
TV Show
Apr 1989
The Justice Game
Eleanor Goodchild
TV Show
Jan 1989
Agatha Christie's Poirot
Mrs Allerton
Movie
Jan 1989
Benefactors
Movie
Jan 1989
Bosses From Hell
TV Show
Nov 1988
The Beiderbecke Connection
Jill Swinburne
TV Show
Dec 1987
The Beiderbecke Tapes
Jill Swinburne
TV Show
Jan 1987
Inspector Morse
Monica Height
Movie
Dec 1986
Season's Greetings
Belinda
Movie
Dec 1986
Day To Remember
Judy
TV Show
May 1986
A Very Peculiar Practice
Dr Rose Marie
TV Show
Jan 1985
The Beiderbecke Affair
Jill Swinburne
Movie
Nov 1982
A Mother Like Him
Jill
TV Show
Nov 1982
The Barchester Chronicles
Mary Bold
TV Show
Nov 1982
The New Adventures of Lucky Jim
Joanna Lassiter
Movie
May 1982
Britannia Hospital
Private Nurse
Movie
Nov 1981
No Visible Scar
Margaret Hanson
TV Show
Mar 1981
The Bagthorpe Saga
Sue
Movie
Dec 1980
Standing in for Henry
Heather
TV Show
May 1977
Murder Most English: A Flaxborough Chronicle
Pauline Sutton
Movie
Jan 1977
Love on a Gunboat
Monica Potter
TV Show
Feb 1976
Open All Hours
The Milk Woman
Movie
Jul 1975
The Flight Fund
Angie
TV Show
Mar 1974
Playhouse
Heather
TV Show
Jul 1973
Centre Play
Angie
TV Show
Oct 1970
Play for Today
Monica Potter
TV Show
Oct 1970
Play for Today
Margaret Hanson
TV Show
Oct 1970
Play for Today
Jill
TV Show
Apr 1970
A Family at War
Freda MacKenzie
TV Show
Apr 1970
A Family at War
Freda Ashton