Summary
Elizabeth Estensen (born 10 August 1949) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Diane Sugden on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale from 1999 to 2021, with a guest stint in 2022. She has also made appearances in various British television series, including The Liver Birds, T-Bag and Coronation Street.
Elizabeth Estensen | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 August 1949 Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1974–2022[1] |
| Television | The Liver Birds T-Bag Series Coronation Street Emmerdale |
| Spouse |
Philip Allen (m. 1983) |
| Children | 1 |
Early and personal life edit
Estensen was born on 10 August 1949 and had a Norwegian grandfather, from whom she inherited her surname. She grew up in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham. Her mother was a primary school teacher, and her father was a merchant seaman and solicitor's clerk. Estensen considered becoming a speech therapist, but signed up for a Drama and English teaching course at Manchester Polytechnic instead.[2] Estensen has been married to husband Philip Allen since May 1983, and the pair have a son together, James Otto Allen.[3]
Career edit
Following graduation from Manchester Polytechnic, she moved to Liverpool and joined the Everyman repertory company. While appearing in a production of John, Paul, George, Ringo ... and Bert, she was noticed by actress Nerys Hughes, who was looking for a replacement for Polly James in her sitcom, The Liver Birds. Estensen was cast as Carol Boswell, her debut television role, in 1975.[2] After The Liver Birds concluded in 1979, Estensen made appearances in films and series including T-Bag and Far from the Madding Crowd.[2] Between 1996 and 1998, she appeared in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street as Pam Middleton.[4] Then in 1999, she was cast in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale as series regular Diane Sugden, a role she has portrayed since.[4] In 2007, she won a shared award at the British Soap Awards for Spectacular Scene of the Year, which saw a house collapse that her character was involved in.[3] In September 2021, Estensen confirmed that she had filmed her final scenes as Diane in Emmerdale.[5] Her final episode was broadcast on 29 October. However, Estensen agreed to return to the soap in October 2022 for a guest stint, for the show's 50th anniversary.[6]
Filmography edit
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1975–1979 | The Liver Birds | Carol Boswell |
| 1977 | Our Day Out | Susan |
| 1980 | The Adventure Game | Herself |
| 1984 | Danger: Marmalade at Work | Wendy Wooley |
| 1985–1989 | T-Bag | Tallulah-Bag |
| 1993 | The Bill | Mrs. Smith |
| 1993 | Casualty | Madeleine Howard |
| 1993 | The Upper Hand | Patsy |
| 1995 | A Touch of Frost | Susan Mackintosh |
| 1995–2000 | Mike and Angelo | Daphne Fawkes-Bentley |
| 1995 | Pie in the Sky | Evelyn Wilkes |
| 1995 | Cracker | Reenie Wise |
| 1996–1998 | Coronation Street | Pam Middleton (17 episodes) |
| 1997 | Last of the Summer Wine | Educational Adviser |
| 1999 | Wing and a Prayer | Mrs. Hillary Campbell |
| 1999 | Polterguests | Mrs. Swinton |
| 1999–2022 | Emmerdale | Diane Sugden (2,860 episodes) |
| 2001 | In a Land of Plenty | Rachel |
References edit
- ^ Alexandrou, Chloe (9 August 2022). "Elizabeth Estensen talks Emmerdale exit after 22 years: 'It's a younger person's job'". Metro. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
- ^ a b c "Elizabeth Estensen". What's on TV. Time Inc. UK. Archived from the original on 13 May 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
- ^ a b "Five Fast Facts About British Soap Star Elizabeth Estensen". SoapHub. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Emmerdale favourites who appeared on other soaps - from Harriet Finch to Tracy Metcalfe". Daily Mirror. 27 September 2019.
- ^ Patterson, Stephen (17 September 2021). "Diane Sugden exits Emmerdale as star Elizabeth Estensen retires". Metro. (DMG Media). Retrieved 16 September 2021.
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (8 August 2022). "Emmerdale announces shock storm disaster for 50th anniversary". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
External links edit
- Elizabeth Estensen at IMDb