Maggie Jones (actress)

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Maggie Jones (born 21 June in Yorkshire) is a British actress. She currently plays 'Blanche Hunt' in the British soap opera Coronation Street.

[edit] Career

Maggie graduated from the esteemed drama school RADA and performed in numerous plays including Pride and Prejudice and The Women on the West End stage. Her first television role came in the classic 1967 miniseries The Forsyte Saga. In 1974 she appeared for the first time as Blanche Hunt, the mother of Deirdre Barlow, in top rated ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street. The role had originally been played by actress Patricia Cutts, who committed suicide after appearing in only two episodes. Jones, who had previously auditioned for the role, accepted an offer to take over the part and was a regular cast member until 1977. She had further short spells on the show in 1978 and 1981.

Throughout the 1980s Jones was a regular face on British television, appearing in several shows over the years including The Barchester Chronicles, The Beiderbecke Affair, Sharon and Elsie, We'll Think Of Something, The Nesbitts Are Coming and Lovely Couple alongside Pauline Quirke.

After guest appearances on shows such as Dalziel and Pascoe, Heartbeat and Peak Practice in the 1990s, Jones reprised the role of Blanche Hunt in Coronation Street in 1997. She became a regular cast member again in 1999 and has been in the show since. Blanche's trademark withering oneliners and no nonsense attitude have helped make her become a firm favourite of fans of the long running show and in 2005 Jones won a British Soap Award for Best Comedy Performance in a British Soap.