Marlene Sidaway


Marlene Sidaway is a British television, film and theatre actress best known for playing Brenda Taylor in the long-running soap opera Coronation Street. Born in Thornaby-on-Tees, North Yorkshire in 1961 she was accepted into the East 15 Acting School in London. She is also President of the International Brigade Memorial Trust, commemorating the volunteers who enlisted to fight Fascism in the Spanish Civil War. Her much older partner, David Marshall, had been a member of the Brigade. They lived together from 1990 until his death in 2005.

Theatre roles

In February 2013 Sidaway played the role of Mrs Purdy, in D.H. Lawrence's The Daughter-in-Law, at the Crucible Theatre, in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. In September 2015 she played the role of Mrs Wilberforce in The Ladykillers, at the Watermill Theatre in Bagnor, Newbury, Berkshire. In February 2018 she played the role of Miriam in Ghassan Kanafani's Returning to Haifa, at the Finborough Theatre in West Brompton, London. In June 2018 she played the role of Doris in Alan Bennett's A Cream Cracker under the Settee in people's homes, in every postcode area across the City of Leeds, and at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. In May 2019 she played Flora Parkin in Beneath the Blue Rinse at the Park Theatre in Finsbury Park, London.

Television roles

Sidaway played Brenda Taylor in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street between 1990 and 1992. She had appeared in the soap previously with a cameo in 1976 as a character called Mrs Briscoe, and another cameo in 1982 as a character called Mrs Fletcher.
She played Hill the housekeeper in the BBC adaption of Pride and Prejudice in 1995.
She played the court usher Dee Yearwood in the BBC courtroom drama Accused in 1996.
She appeared in four episodes of the ITV detective series Midsomer Murders; The Killings at Badger's Drift 1997 as Counsellor 2, Written in Blood 1998 as Mrs Bundy, Death's Shadow 1999 as Mrs Bundy again, and Judgement Day 2000 as Mrs Foster.
She played Mrs Dorothy Barker in the ITV prison drama Bad Girls in 2001.
She played Maureen in the BBC sitcom Mum, between 2016 and 2019.
She has appeared in many more television programmes such as: Lovejoy, Casualty, Doctors, Holby City, Heartbeat, Andy Robson, Miss Marple, All Creatures Great and Small, Jeeves and Wooster, The Bill, The Vicar of Dibley, Foyle's War, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Survivors, and Being Human.

Film roles

Sidaway's film roles include: Me and Orson Welles, Beautiful Thing, I Want Candy, Goodnight Mister Tom, Blackball, Tom's Midnight Garden, Ready When You Are Mr. McGill, Silence Is Golden, All Men Are Mortal, The Magic Toyshop and The Quiz Kid.
Sidaway played the role of Jean in the 2018 film Sink.

Personal life

Sidaway has lived in the London Borough of Newham since 1983. She previously lived in Manchester, Greater Manchester for seven years.

Filmography

YearTitleChannelRole
2016–2019MumBBC TwoMaureen
2019Holby CityBBC OneJosie O'Grady
2018In The Long RunSky OneDot
2018SinkN/AJean
2001Bad GirlsITVMrs Dorothy Barker
2000Midsomer MurdersITVMrs Foster
1998–1999Midsomer MurdersITVMrs Bundy
1997Midsomer MurdersITVCouncillor 2
1996AccusedBBC OneDee Yearwood
1995Pride and PrejudiceBBC OneHill
1990–1992Coronation StreetITVBrenda Taylor
1989Capstick's LawITVPeggy
1984Shine on Harvey MoonITVMrs Sprake
1982–1983Andy RobsonITVFlorrie Charlton
1979Quest of EaglesITVMrs Koslawski