Acting · Hastings, East Sussex, England, UK · Born August 5, 1948
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"
MovieOpen All Hours: Inside Out
2026
TVSecrets of the Royals: Births, Marriages and Deaths
2025
as Narrator
TVBeyond Paradise
2023
as Anne Lloyd
MovieDiana: The Curse of the Spencers
2022
as Narrator
1978: The Winter of Discontent
2022
as Narrator
TVKate & Koji
2020
as Councillor Lavinia Bone
TVKilling Eve
2018
as Julia
TVThe Durrells
2016
as Aunt Hermione
TV1864
2014
as Queen Victoria
MovieThe Christmas Candle
2013
as Lady Camdon
TVPat & Cabbage
2013
as Pat
MovieThe Flying Scotsman: A Rail Romance
2013
as Narrator (Voice)
MovieCheerful Weather for the Wedding
2012
as Aunt Bella
TVJet! When Britain Ruled the Skies
2012
as Herself - Narrator
MovieJust Henry
2011
as Mrs Beaumont
TVDeath in Paradise
2011
as Patti Grenson
TVCelebrity Antiques Road Trip
2011
as Self - Participant
TVThe Borgias
2011
as Isabella
TVMy Big Fat Gypsy Wedding
2010
as Narrator (voice)
MovieBurlesque Fairytales
2010
as Mrs. Argyle
TVThe Queen
2009
as The Queen
TVMoving On
2009
as Carol
MovieA Lion Called Christian
2009
as Self - Narrator(voice)
The Marchioness Disaster
2008
as Eileen Dallaglio
MovieChristmas at the Riviera
2007
as Rita
TVCranford
2007
as Mrs Jamieson
TVGuarding The Queen
2007
as Narrator
MovieMiss Potter
2006
as Helen Potter
MovieCracker: Nine Eleven
2006
as Judith Fitzgerald
TVThe Line of Beauty
2006
as Sally Tipper
The 7/7 Bombers: A Psychological Investigation
2005
as Voice
TVElizabeth I
2005
as Mary Queen of Scots
TVMalice Aforethought
2005
as Julia Bickleigh
The Queen's Castle
2005
as Narrator (Voice)
TVDoctor Who
2005
as Awsok
TVHe Knew He Was Right
2004
as Mrs French
TVSea of Souls
2004
as Lt Col Petra Summers
MovieGeorge Orwell: A Life In Pictures
2003
as Narrator
MovieRosalind Franklin: DNA's Dark Lady
2003
as Narrator
MovieHornblower: Duty
2003
as Mrs. Mason
MovieHornblower: Loyalty
2003
as Mrs. Mason
TVThe Inspector Lynley Mysteries
2002
as Maureen Finnegan
TVThe Forsyte Saga
2002
as Emily Forsyte
Night Flight
2002
as Moira
TVPerfect
2001
as Imogen
TVMurder in Mind
2001
as Grace Fisher
MovieLorna Doone
2001
as Sarah Ridd
TVLorna Doone
2000
as Sarah Ridd
TVWives and Daughters
1999
as Miss Browning
MovieThe Escort
1999
as Kim's Mother
MovieYou're Dead...
1999
as Prof. Corner
MovieThe Man Who Would Be Kubrick
1999
as Self - Narrator
TVHornblower
1998
as Mrs Mason
MovieKing Lear
1998
as Goneril
MovieDear Nobody
1998
as Chris' Mother
TVThe Vanishing Man
1997
as Dr Jeffries
MovieThe Vanishing Man
1997
as Me Jeffries
TVSilent Witness
1996
as Carol Fisher
TVChandler & Co
1994
as Dee Tate
TVCracker
1993
TVMaigret
1992
TVPerformance
1991
as Goneril
TVJoshua Jones
1991
TVThe Justice Game
1989
as Eleanor Goodchild
TVAgatha Christie's Poirot
1989
as Mrs Allerton
Benefactors
1989
MovieBosses From Hell
1989
TVThe Beiderbecke Connection
1988
as Jill Swinburne
TVThe Beiderbecke Tapes
1987
as Jill Swinburne
TVInspector Morse
1987
as Monica Height
MovieSeason's Greetings
1986
as Belinda
Day To Remember
1986
as Judy
TVA Very Peculiar Practice
1986
as Dr Rose Marie
TVThe Beiderbecke Affair
1985
as Jill Swinburne
MovieA Mother Like Him
1982
as Jill
TVThe Barchester Chronicles
1982
as Mary Bold
The New Adventures of Lucky Jim
1982
as Joanna Lassiter
MovieBritannia Hospital
1982
as Private Nurse
MovieNo Visible Scar
1981
as Margaret Hanson
The Bagthorpe Saga
1981
as Sue
MovieStanding in for Henry
1980
as Heather
TVMurder Most English: A Flaxborough Chronicle
1977
as Pauline Sutton
MovieLove on a Gunboat
1977
as Monica Potter
TVOpen All Hours
1976
as The Milk Woman
MovieThe Flight Fund
1975
as Angie
TVPlayhouse
1974
as Heather
TVCentre Play
1973
as Angie
TVPlay for Today
1970
as Monica Potter
TVA Family at War
1970
as Freda MacKenzie
