Shirley Stelfox

Shirley Stelfox (11 April 1941 – 7 December 2015) was an English actress, best known for her portrayal of the character Edna Birch on the British soap opera Emmerdale.

She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She played the first "Rose" in Keeping Up Appearances, but was later replaced by Mary Millar. She appeared in several other well-known television series, including Making Out, Juliet Bravo, Coronation Street, The Bill and Crossroads.

She played Jane Healy, Melanie Healy's mother, in an episode of EastEnders, and the mother of Julie Walters and Victoria Wood in the TV movie Pat and Margaret (1994). She played the role of the "$2.00 Prostitute" in 1984, a movie adaptation of the George Orwell novel, starring John Hurt and Richard Burton.

Personal life

Stelfox was married to actor Don Henderson from 1979 until his death in 1997.

Stelfox died from cancer on 7 December 2015, aged 74.