The entertainment world is mourning the loss of Sheila Bernette, the beloved actor best known for her role in ITV's Coronation Street, who has died at the age of 94.
A Life in the Spotlight
The news was confirmed by the Royal Variety Charity, an organisation dedicated to supporting elderly entertainment industry professionals. In a statement, they said: “Sheila will be very much missed by many of those who worked with her and those from the wider theatrical family.”
Born Sheila Poncini in London to Italian parents, Bernette launched her acting career in the mid-1950s. Her big break came in the late 1960s with regular appearances on the classic BBC variety show Good Old Days. This led to her iconic role as Sister Delaney on the Weatherfield cobbles in 1973.
Her character was introduced to treat the injured Elsie Tanner, played by Pat Phoenix, after she was hit by a car. Bernette appeared in a total of six episodes of the long-running soap.
Stage, Screen and Pranks
Bernette's career was remarkably diverse, spanning decades and genres. She shared the stage and screen with comedy greats including Tommy Cooper and Morecambe and Wise, and performed alongside Sir David Jason long before his Only Fools and Horses fame.
Her talents also graced the 1970 Royal Variety Performance and numerous productions at the London Palladium. In a lighter vein, she was one of the original presenters on the UK adaptation of the hidden camera show Candid Camera.
In her later years, she remained a familiar face on children's television, appearing in the 1990s favourite The Queen’s Nose and playing Mrs Poshington in the CBBC sitcom Hotel Trubble from 2008 to 2011. Her final film role was in the 2009 feature Driving Aphrodite.
Fond Memories and Lasting Legacy
Actor Peter Kosta paid a heartfelt tribute to his “very good friend”, recalling how they met while working with Sir David Jason. “I was looking for digs, and Sheila said: ‘Well, if you’re clean, I have a spare room in my house,'” he told The Sun.
He added: “She always supported me in everything that I wanted to do, and always came to see me in everything I did, whenever she could. I have extremely fond memories of her.”
Beyond television and film, Bernette was a stalwart of the London stage, frequently performing at the historic Players’ Theatre in Covent Garden. Her passing marks the end of a rich and varied career that touched everything from classic soap opera to royal command performances, leaving behind a legacy cherished by colleagues and audiences alike.
