Linda Bassett

Linda Bassett (born 4 February 1950) is an English actress. Her television credits include Victoria Wood's dinnerladies, Lark Rise to Candleford (2008–11), Grandma's House (2010–12) and Call the Midwife (2015–present).

She was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the 1999 film East Is East and for the Evening Standard Award for Best Actress for the 2013 revival of the play Roots at the Donmar Warehouse.

Early life and education Bassett was born in Pluckley, Kent, England, to a typist mother and a police officer father. She moved to Pimlico, London, at a young age, where her passion for drama blossomed, as her family often watched classic plays at the Old Vic Theatre.

Bassett worked as an usher for the National Theatre at the Old Vic whilst a schoolgirl, before enrolling at the University of Leeds. She dropped out of university after one year to work in a community drama group.

In film, she first gained notice when she was cast as Gertrude Stein opposite Linda Hunt as Alice B. Toklas in Waiting for the Moon in 1987. She also appeared as Julia Roberts' mother in Mary Reilly in 1996 and had the award-winning role of Ella Khan in the 1999 British comedy film East is East. Other roles include Mrs. Brenner, the prison official in the 2008 film The Reader, Cora in Calendar Girls (March), Mrs. Jennings in the three-part BBC adaptation Sense and Sensibility, Queenie Turill in Lark Rise to Candleford, Doll in the film Cass. Most recently she played Grandma in the BBC Two comedy Grandma's House. Since 2015, she has portrayed Nurse Phyllis Crane on the BBC One drama series Call the Midwife.

Personal life Bassett lives in Kent, in a village close to her birthplace.

Filmography

Year Film / TV Role Notes 1987 Waiting for the Moon Gertrude Stein 1988 Dramarama Meg Crawford TV series (1 episode: "Making Waves") Paris by Night Janet Swanton 1989 Traffik Rachel Lithgow TV series (4 episodes) Boon Mrs. Sheridan TV series (1 episode: "In It for the Monet") 1990 Screen One Virginia Lyddon TV series (1 episode: "News Hound") The Bill Shena Jackson TV series (2 episodes) 1991 A Small Dance Sandra Matkin 4 Play Phyllis Twigg TV series (1 episode: "Say Hello to the Real Dr. Snide") Let Him Have It Mrs. Miles 1994 Love Hurts Janice TV series (1 episode: "Blue Heaven") A Touch of Frost Mrs. Cornish TV series (1 episode: "Nothing to Hide") Screen Two Mrs. Loveless/Susan TV series (2 episodes) Frank Stubbs Eileen TV series (1 episode: "Babies") 1995 A Village Affair Gwen TV film The Bill Chrissie Bates TV series (1 episode: "Old Habitats") Bramwell Maud TV mini-series (1 episode: "Episode #1.7") Loved Up Mother TV film The Peter Principle Iris Jennings TV series (1 episode: "Pilot") Haunted Madam Brontski EastEnders Bridget Gilsenan TV series (1 episode) 1996 Mary Reilly Mary's Mother FilmCasualtyOlwyn HumphriesTV series (1 episode: "Asking for Miracles") No Bananas Ellen Slater TV mini-series (10 episodes) Indian Summer DoctorFilm 1997 Kavanagh QC Miss Haddon QC TV series (1 episode: "Mute of Malice") Oscar and Lucinda Betty Stratton 1998 Spoonface Steinberg Mrs. Spud TV film The Life and Crimes of William Palmer Mary Thornton TV film Our Mutual Friend Abby Potterson TV mini-series (2 episodes) Far from the Madding Crowd Maryann Money TV film Out of Hours Carol-Ann Kumar TV mini-series 1999 East is East Ella Khan Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role Beautiful People SisterFilm dinnerladies Peggy TV series (1 episode: "Trouble") 2000 Lounge Act Voice Short Don Quixote Housekeeper TV film Losing It Tom's Mother TV film 2001 The Martins Anthea 2002 The Last Time Evelyn Short The Hours Nelly Boxall 2003 This Little Life Nurse Nina TV film Calendar Girls CoraFilm 2004 Spivs Auntie Vee The Brief Maureen Tyler TV series (8 episodes: 2004–2005) 2005 Separate Lies Maggie Colour Me Kubrick: A True...ish Story Trolley Lady Kinky Boots MelanieFilm Heartbeat Beryl Palmer TV series (1 episode: "Burden of Proof") The English Harem Monica Pringle TV film 2007 Midsomer Murders Eileen Carnack TV series (1 episode: "The Animal Within") 2008 Sense and Sensibility Mrs. Jennings TV mini-series (3 episodes) Cass DollFilm The Reader Ms. Brenner Lark Rise to Candleford Queenie Turill TV series (40 episodes: 2008–2011) 2010 West Is West Ella Khan Grandma's House Grandma TV series (12 episodes: 2010–2012) 2012 Nick Nickleby Mrs. Smike TV series (4 episodes: 2012–present)2013Spies of Warsaw Malka RosenBBC miniseries2015–2017TwirlywoosNarratorchildren's TV show 2015– Call the Midwife Nurse Phyllis Crane TV series 2017 Carnage Dr Yasmine Vondenburg Mockumentary 2022 Strike Joan Nancarrow TV series (Troubled Blood) 2023 The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry Queenie Hennessy

Theatre Among her most notable stage roles were those in: In Basildon – Royal Court Theatre London (2012) Love and Information – Royal Court Theatre London (2012) People – National Theatre London (2012/13) Roots – Donmar Warehouse London (2013) Visitors – Arcola Theatre London (2014) and Bush Theatre, London (2014/15) Escaped Alone – Royal Court Theatre London (2016), Brooklyn Academy of Music New York (2017) and BBC Radio (2018) What If If Only – Royal Court Theatre London (2021) Care – Young Vic London (2026)