Sherrie Hewson

Early life

Born in Nottingham, Hewson was brought up in Burton Joyce in a show-business family; her father was a singer and her mother was a model. She began performing at the age of six, touring the UK's theatres in revues with her own signature song, "You've Got to Have Heart". She was granted a scholarship to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Early career

Hewson's television and screen career began in the early 1970s with early television appearances in Z Cars, The Moonstone and Within These Walls. In 1975, she joined the Carry On team for the film Carry On Behind and was subsequently cast in several episodes of the Carry On Laughing television series.

As well as further film roles in The Slipper and the Rose with Richard Chamberlain and Edith Evans and Hanover Street with Harrison Ford, Hewson became a regular fixture on television, most notably as part of a young cast of future stars in Love For Lydia. She also had a brief role in the 1979 Alan Bennett drama Afternoon Off as Iris, the ultimately unworthy object of the protagonist Lee's quest.

In the 1980s, as well as appearances in dramas such as Play for Today, The Sandbaggers, Minder, Juliet Bravo and The Gentle Touch, Hewson's talent for comedy saw her get invited to join Russ Abbot's Madhouse series where she remained an integral part of his team for over ten years, later appearing in The Russ Abbot Show. Other comedy appearances included roles in Home to Roost, Home James!, Never the Twain and Haggard, while she was also a popular foil for various comedians, including Stanley Baxter, Les Dawson, Little and Large, Cannon and Ball and Les Dennis. Her most famous role during this period was as Mary Henshaw in the popular sitcom In Loving Memory with Thora Hird and Christopher Beeny.

Career

In 1993, Hewson was cast as Maureen Webster in the UK's longest-running soap opera, Coronation Street, a dizzy, accident-prone supermarket assistant dominated by her mother. In 1996, Hewson was due to leave the show to film the first series of the BBC's Oh, Doctor Beeching!, reprising her role of May Skinner from the 1995 pilot. Although the part had been written with her in mind, Hewson agreed to sign a new contract at the request of the Coronation Street producers, who had storylines planned for her character, and Julia Deakin took over the role of May. However, in 1997, Coronation Street's new producer Brian Park axed a number of characters, including Maureen. Hewson's final episode was broadcast in October 1997. In December 2006, she returned as Maureen Webster for two episodes.

Hewson returned to the theatre – appearing in Billy Liar and several pantomimes – and radio, notably as the lead character in a series entitled The Circle. She was also in great demand for light entertainment programmes, and made appearances on Blankety Blank, Noel's House Party and Call My Bluff among others. In 1999, Hewson was cast as Jean in the sitcom Barbara.

In 2001, Hewson joined the cast of another soap opera, as receptionist Virginia Raven in the revival of Crossroads.

In 2003, Hewson became a regular panellist on Loose Women, an ITV daytime programme. On 3 August 2016, Hewson announced her departure from the show, with her last episode being 5 September 2016.

In 2004, Hewson appeared in a celebrity edition of makeover show 10 Years Younger and underwent cosmetic surgery to her face as well as a hair and fashion overhaul. She revealed that her decision to appear was partially influenced by the breakdown of her 20-year marriage to husband Ken Boyd.

In 2004, Hewson joined the cast of Emmerdale as Lesley Meredith, mother of fishmonger Simon. She departed the show on 27 December 2006.

In 2007, Hewson make a number of non-acting television appearances. As well as Loose Women, she appeared in Celebrity MasterChef, Dickinson's Real Deal and was runner-up in Soapstar Superchef partnered with her former Emmerdale co-star Julia Mallam. Hewson also appeared on a celebrity special of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.

In 2012, Hewson joined the cast of the sitcom Benidorm. Since its fifth series, she appears as Joyce Temple-Savage, the new manager of the Solana Hotel.

On 18 January 2015, Hewson took part in celebrity talent show Get Your Act Together with plate spinner illusionist Andrew Van Buren.

In August 2015, Hewson took part and was a contestant in the sixteenth series of Channel 5 television show Celebrity Big Brother. She reached the final on Day 29, and finished in sixth place.

In February 2016, Hewson won the role of Mrs. Slocombe, in a remake of the BBC's 1970's and 1980's sitcom Are You Being Served? taking over the part made famously by the late Mollie Sugden.

In August 2016, Hewson announced that she is to leave Loose Women after 14 years.

Writing

In March 2008, Hewson won BBC reality show Murder Most Famous winning the opportunity to write her own crime fiction novel, The Tannery, which was published on 5 March 2009 by Pan Macmillan as one of their 'quick reads', released annually as part of the World Book Day celebrations. In 2011, she released another book called Behind The Laughter On 13 February 2014, Hewson published a cookbook called Nana's Kitchen.

Personal life

In May 1983, Hewson married Ken Boyd, whom she met in 1976, and had a daughter in 1984. The couple later separated after he admitted to having an affair. On 19 October 2011, Hewson announced on Loose Women that she and Boyd had divorced. She has professed to having a passion for Thai cuisine which forms an integral part of her diet.

In 2007, after over thirty years in show business, Hewson declared bankruptcy. She described the experience as like having "a dreadful, contagious disease".

Hewson is a cousin of retired footballer Garry Birtles. Hewson's mother died in 2012.