Roberta Kerr Explained

Roberta Kerr
Birth Name:Roberta Alexandra Kerr
Birth Date:24 May 1952
Birth Place:Southampton, Hampshire, England
Occupation:Actress
Known For:Brookside
Coronation Street
Emmerdale
Years Active:1984–present

Roberta Alexandra Kerr (born 24 May 1952) is an English actress. She is known for her various roles in British soap operas including Sally Haynes in Brookside, Wendy Crozier in Coronation Street and Jan Glover in Emmerdale, as well as portraying several characters in Doctors.

Life and career

Kerr was born in Southampton, England on 24 May 1952.[1] [2] [3] [4] She began her acting career in 1984 when she joined the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside as Sally Haynes.[5] She portrayed the character on a recurring basis until 1986. In 1985 she played another character named Sally in an episode of Travelling Man and in 1986, she played Mrs. Bennett in an episode of the BBC Two drama anthology series ScreenPlay.[6] In 1988, she made her film debut as Mrs. Dalton in The Nature of the Beast and also appeared in an episode of the mini-series Wipe Out, where she played a civil servant.[6]

In 1989, Kerr joined the cast of the ITV soap opera Coronation Street as Wendy Crozier, a woman who works for the council and embarks on an affair with Ken Barlow (William Roache), which led to his divorce from his wife, Deirdre (Anne Kirkbride).[3] She left the show in May 1990 following the conclusion of the storyline.[7] In July 1994, Kerr portrayed Pam Blake in an episode of the ITV drama series Medics. The following month, she was cast as Jan Glover in Emmerdale, the wife of Ned (Johnny Leeze).[8] During her time on the show, the character's major storylines included coming to terms with the deaths of her children Dave (Ian Kelsey) and Linda (Tonicha Jeronimo), as well as suffering a nervous breakdown and being sectioned. Kerr departed the role after four years in 1998.[9] In 1999, Kerr played Tania Sylvester in an episode of Casualty and in 2000, she portrayed Miss Robinson in the film Seeing Red. In 2005, Kerr appeared in the BBC soap opera Doctors as Margaret Ellen.[10] She went on to return to Doctors on two further occasions, portraying the roles of Sheila Mitchum and Joan Jonson in 2007 and 2020, respectively.[11] Kerr also had minor guest roles in The Royal Today, Silk, Downton Abbey and Hollyoaks.[12]

In 2012, Kerr reprised her role of Wendy Crozier in Coronation Street for a short stint, as part of a storyline where Wendy and Ken are reacquainted again after becoming governors at the same school.[13] [14] The character departed after her advances were rejected by Ken.[15] Ten years later, in 2022, she reprised the role again as a regular character.[16] [17] The return saw Wendy as a foster carer involved in a storyline centred around Abi Franklin (Sally Carman) attempting to gain custody of her son.[18] [19] [20] [21]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1984–1985Brookside Sally HaynesRecurring role
1985 Travelling Man SallyEpisode: "The Quiet Chapter"
1986ScreenPlay Mrs. BennettEpisode: "Brick is Beautiful"
1988The Nature of the BeastMrs. DaltonFilm role
1988Wipe OutCivil servantMini-series
1989–1990, 2012, 2022Coronation StreetWendy CrozierSeries regular
1994MedicsPam BlakeEpisode: "Consequences"
1994–1998EmmerdaleJan GloverSeries regular
1999CasualtyTania SylvesterEpisode: "Free Fall"
2000Seeing RedMiss RobinsonFilm role
2001EastEndersAnne Fletcher1 episode
2005DoctorsMargaret EllenEpisode: "The Girl Who Came Back"
2006The Write KitMrs. LarkinVideo role
2007DoctorsSheila MitchumEpisode: "Protection"
2008The Royal TodayCaroline Whitefield1 episode
2012One Last WalkSheila GrahamShort film
2012, 2017HollyoaksJudge Barrett2 episodes
2014SilkMagistrate1 episode
2014Downton AbbeyChemist's assistant1 episode
2020DoctorsJoan JonsonEpisode: "Too Proud"

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Roberta A. KERR . FreeBMD . 6 August 2022 . 6 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220806144921/https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?r=205302389:5993&d=bmd_1653949805 . live .
  2. Web site: Roberta Alexandra KERR . . 6 August 2022 . 6 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220806144921/https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/98sBWfsAG3ptBhzXHsTW016Axbg/appointments . live .
  3. News: Who plays Wendy Crozier in Coronation Street? . . 6 August 2022 . 19 July 2022 . 2 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220802081718/https://www.heart.co.uk/showbiz/tv-movies/coronation-street/who-plays-wendy-crozier-roberta-kerr/ . live .
  4. Web site: One on One - Roberta Kerr . . 6 August 2022 . 26 August 2015 . 6 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220806144921/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02z6s30 . live .
  5. News: Coronation Street star Roberta Kerr: Who did she play in Brookside and Emmerdale? . Entertainment Daily . 6 August 2022 . 15 July 2022 . 15 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220715190235/https://www.entertainmentdaily.co.uk/soaps/coronation-street-star-roberta-kerr-who-emmerdale/ . live .
  6. Web site: Roberta Kerr . . 6 August 2022 . 6 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220806144922/https://www.spotlight.com/9977-7866-2595 . live .
  7. News: 'Coronation Street' Ken's returning ex-lover: Who is Wendy Crozier? . . 6 August 2022 . 16 July 2012 . 13 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220613025123/https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/coronation-street/a393521/coronation-street-kens-returning-ex-lover-who-is-wendy-crozier/ . live .
  8. News: Johnny Leeze, former Emmerdale actor, dies at 78 . . 6 August 2022 . 26 October 2020 . 4 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210104111920/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54690878 . live .
  9. News: Ex-Emmerdale actress Roberta Kerr makes shock return to Coronation Street after 10 years away . . 6 August 2022 . 7 June 2022 . 13 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220613161736/https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/ex-emmerdale-actress-roberta-kerr-24165928 . live .
  10. Web site: Doctors, BBC One, 26th May 2005 . . 6 August 2022 . 26 May 2005 . 6 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220806144922/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/11fdfdcaffcf4bea9b71676053d7935f . live .
  11. Web site: Doctors, Series 21, Too Proud . . 6 August 2022 . 5 May 2020 . 17 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210117205934/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000hyx3 . live .
  12. Web site: Judge's verdict - Roberta is a re-Kerr-ing actress in soapland . . 6 August 2022 . . 4 April 2017 . 6 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220806144922/https://www.pressreader.com/uk/inside-soap/20170404/283631054877733 . live .
  13. News: 'Coronation Street' return for Ken Barlow's former lover Wendy Crozier . . 6 August 2022 . 1 May 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200501220744/https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/coronation-street/a393285/coronation-street-return-for-ken-barlows-former-lover-wendy-crozier/ . live .
  14. News: Ken's ex-lover returns. 13 July 2012. ITV. 6 August 2022. 17 July 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120717033958/http://www.itv.com/coronationstreet/news/wendycrozierreturns/. live.
  15. News: 'Coronation Street' returnee Roberta Kerr teases Wendy, Ken plot . . 6 August 2022 . 18 September 2012 . 6 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220806144922/https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/coronation-street/a406671/coronation-street-returnee-roberta-kerr-teases-wendy-ken-plot/ . live .
  16. News: Coronation Street star Roberta Kerr teases new Barlow tensions as Wendy returns . . 6 August 2022 . 9 June 2022 . 9 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220609195051/https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/coronation-street/a40242654/coronation-street-roberta-kerr-wendy-crozier-return/ . live .
  17. News: Coronation Street star Roberta Kerr reveals more on Wendy's return in Abi twist . . 6 August 2022 . 8 June 2022 . 9 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220609195322/https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/coronation-street/a40224957/coronation-street-roberta-kerr-wendy-return-abi-twist/ . live .
  18. News: Wendy Crozier Returns! . . 6 August 2022 . 7 June 2022 . 2 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220802035652/https://www.itv.com/coronationstreet/articles/wendy-crozier-returns . live .
  19. News: Coronation Street plans surprise return for Wendy Crozier . . 6 August 2022 . 10 May 2022 . 13 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220613000948/https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/coronation-street/a39954387/coronation-street-wendy-crozier-surprise-return-plans/ . live .
  20. News: Coronation Street’s Roberta Kerr teases explosive drama for Wendy and Tracy . . 6 August 2022 . 7 June 2022 . 28 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220728184739/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/soaps/coronation-street/coronation-street-wendy-tracy-drama-newsupdate/ . live .
  21. News: Coronation Street's Abi learns of Wendy's sordid affair . . 6 August 2022 . 20 June 2022 . 19 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220719220224/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/soaps/coronation-street/corrie-abi-wendy-affair-newsupdate/ . live .