Acting
Barbara Flynn
Born Aug 5, 1948 · Hastings, East Sussex, England, UK
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"
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Acting
Open All Hours: Inside Out
2026
Comedy · Documentary
Secrets of the Royals: Births, Marriages and Deaths
2025
Documentary
Beyond Paradise
2023
Drama · Crime
Diana: The Curse of the Spencers
2022
Documentary
Kate & Koji
2020
Comedy
Killing Eve
2018
Crime · Drama
The Durrells
2016
Drama · Comedy · Family
1864
2014
Drama · War & Politics
The Christmas Candle
2013
Drama · Family
Pat & Cabbage
2013
Comedy
The Flying Scotsman: A Rail Romance
2013
Documentary
Cheerful Weather for the Wedding
2012
Drama · Comedy · Romance
Just Henry
2011
Drama · Mystery
Death in Paradise
2011
Comedy · Crime · Drama
The Borgias
2011
Drama · Crime
My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding
2010
Documentary · Reality
Burlesque Fairytales
2010
Drama · Thriller
The Queen
2009
Documentary · Drama
Moving On
2009
Drama
A Lion Called Christian
2009
Documentary
10 Days to War
2008
War & Politics · Drama
Christmas at the Riviera
2007
Comedy · Family
Cranford
2007
Drama
Guarding The Queen
2007
Documentary
Miss Potter
2006
Drama · Family · Romance
Cracker: Nine Eleven
2006
Crime · TV Movie · Drama
The Line of Beauty
2006
Drama
Elizabeth I
2005
Drama
Malice Aforethought
2005
Crime · Drama
Doctor Who
2005
Action & Adventure · Drama · Sci-Fi & Fantasy
He Knew He Was Right
2004
Drama
Sea of Souls
2004
Drama · Mystery
New Tricks
2004
Drama · Comedy
George Orwell: A Life In Pictures
2003
Documentary · Drama
Rosalind Franklin: DNA's Dark Lady
2003
TV Movie · Documentary
Hornblower: Duty
2003
War · Adventure · TV Movie
Hornblower: Loyalty
2003
War · Adventure · TV Movie
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries
2002
Crime · Drama
The Forsyte Saga
2002
Drama
Perfect
2001
Drama
Murder in Mind
2001
Drama · Crime
Lorna Doone
2001
Drama · Romance
Lorna Doone
2000
Drama
Wives and Daughters
1999
Drama
The Escort
1999
Drama
You're Dead...
1999
Comedy · Crime
The Man Who Would Be Kubrick
1999
Documentary
Hornblower
1998
Drama · War & Politics · Action & Adventure
King Lear
1998
Drama · TV Movie
Dear Nobody
1998
TV Movie · Drama · Romance
The Vanishing Man
1997
Sci-Fi & Fantasy · Mystery · Comedy
The Vanishing Man
1997
Comedy · Mystery · Drama
Midsomer Murders
1997
Crime · Drama · Mystery
Dalziel and Pascoe
1996
Mystery · Crime · Drama
Silent Witness
1996
Crime · Drama
Chandler & Co
1994
Mystery · Crime · Drama
Cracker
1993
Crime · Drama
Maigret
1992
Drama · Crime
Performance
1991
Drama
Quick Change
1990
Comedy · Crime
The Justice Game
1989
Crime
Agatha Christie's Poirot
1989
Crime · Drama · Mystery
Bosses From Hell
1989
The Beiderbecke Connection
1988
Drama · Comedy
The Beiderbecke Tapes
1987
Comedy · Drama
Inspector Morse
1987
Crime · Drama · Mystery
Season's Greetings
1986
Comedy · Drama · TV Movie
A Very Peculiar Practice
1986
Drama · Comedy
Boon
1986
Comedy · Drama · Crime
Theatre Night
1985
Drama
The Beiderbecke Affair
1985
Comedy · Drama
A Mother Like Him
1982
Drama · TV Movie
The Barchester Chronicles
1982
Drama
Britannia Hospital
1982
Comedy · Science Fiction
No Visible Scar
1981
Drama · TV Movie
The Last Song
1981
Standing in for Henry
1980
The Gentle Touch
1980
Crime · Drama
Keep It in the Family
1980
Comedy · Talk
Murder Most English: A Flaxborough Chronicle
1977
Mystery · Crime · Drama
Love on a Gunboat
1977
Drama · TV Movie
Open All Hours
1976
Comedy
The Flight Fund
1975
Playhouse
1974
Drama
Centre Play
1973
Drama
Play for Today
1970
Drama
A Family at War
1970
Drama · War & Politics
Z-Cars
1962
Drama