43 Years On The Cobbles!

We celebrate the life and career of Coronation Street favourite Sue Nicholls, still entertaining us as Audrey Roberts after 43 years

From Theatre To Variety

Multi-talented Sue can turn her hand to anything, and in the 1970s she had two very different stints working abroad. Having toured America and Canada with the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company in 1974, she even ended up performing on Broadway.

Then, later in the decade, she landed a job singing between strip acts in a Vienna. nightclub!

Recalling those days, she says, "It was a bit like a circus. There was a bike act, a father and son acrobat act, then a stripper, and then me singing. It was fun, though I can't say it was my most favourite job!"

The hard-working actress also appeared in panto with Jimmy Tarbuck and Anita Harris in the 1960s and worked with Bob Monkhouse. "He was one of my favourite people in the world. I did a summer season with him and he was just divine," Sue recalls.

A Very Quick Hello

It was a baptism of fire when Sue was asked to appear opposite Leonard Rossiter in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. Cast as secretary Joan Greengross, Reggie's fantasy lover, Sue found herself filming a passionate scene with him on their very first meeting.

"I was so lucky to do it and Leonard was fabulous, although I was thrown in at the deep end," she remembers. "On the very first day we were due to film out in a field. I was in the back of the car and he was in the front.

"We said 'hi,' but not much else and then we had to film a dream sequence where we slowly ran towards each other and kissed and disappeared into the grass. We hadn't really had a proper conversation until that point! That was our first contact!"

Away From The Bright Lights