Linda E. Blakley (née Stevens; born 1 July 1947) is an English actress, known for her roles as Pam Coker in the BBC soap opera EastEnders and as Georgia Sharma in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale.

Lin Blakley
Born
Linda E. Stevens

(1947-07-01) 1 July 1947 (age 77)
OccupationActress
Years active2003–present
Notable workEastEnders (2014–2019, 2022)
Emmerdale (2023)
Spouse
(m. 1969; died 1996)
Children2, including Claudie Blakley

Career

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In 2004, Blakley appeared in the film The Football Factory as the mother to Tamara (Sophie Linfield) and the stage productions of Effi's Burning and All My Sons as Effi and Kate respectively. The following year, she played Pam in Shaking Dreamland and Maureen Groves in Derailed.[1] In 2006 and 2007, Blakley made guest appearances in the ITV drama Vital Signs and the BBC soap opera Doctors as Irene and Susan Staplehurst respectively. She also appeared in stage productions of Hay Fever and You Never Can Tell as Clara and Mrs. Clandon in 2006 and in the stage production of Puntill and his man Matti as Emma in 2007. In 2007, Blakley also appeared in short film, Gone Fishing as Emily and an episode of ITV police drama The Bill.[1] The following year, Blakley starred in film Sydney Turtlebaum as Brenda, TV film The Children as Mel, a second episode of The Bill as Lorna Wickham and in a one-woman performance of Talking Heads.

In 2009, Blakley appeared in the film, Malice in Wonderland as Mrs. Jones; one episode of the ITV murder drama, Midsomer Murders as Janet Painter; one further episode of Doctors as Elaine Preston; as lead role, Ursula in the stage production of Vincent in Brixton; and in the stage production of The Entertainer as Phoebe.[1] In the following year, she played Rachael Pennington in an episode of BBC medical drama, Holby City and played Marguerita in the stage production of The Miser. 2011 saw Blakley appear in two films: Late Bloomers as 'The Grey Panther' and Age of Heroes as Mrs. Shepard.[1] She also appeared in an episode of Law & Order: UK as Jessica. In 2012, she appeared in: Rufus Stone, a short film, as Abigail; an episode of One Night, a BBC one-off four-part drama, as Joan Burton, and an episode of Hunted, a BBC drama, as Grandma Freeman.[1] In 2013, she appeared as Barbara Kay in her third episode of Doctors and also starred in an episode of BBC fantasy-adventure drama Atlantis as Emily. In December 2017, she appeared as Mrs. Claus in a Kellogg’s Corn Flakes advert. The following month, Blakley appeared in BBC medical drama, Casualty, as cancer patient Maggie Coomes.[2]

EastEnders

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Blakley joined the cast of the BBC soap opera EastEnders as the wife of undertaker Les Coker (Roger Sloman), Pam, following his promotion to the regular cast.[3] They would be setting up their funeral business in the fictional setting of Walford. Pam was billed as "a small woman with a big heart and an even bigger shoulder to cry on."[3] Sloman stated how delighted he was to be working with Blakley and when commenting about her casting, Blakley said: "Being part of EastEnders is like going to work and being with another family. I'm really enjoying myself. Working with Roger has been wonderful from the word go, we have a laugh together and I feel like I have known him forever."[3] Executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins also spoke about how he enjoyed watching the chemistry between Sloman and Blakley.[3]

Blakley was written out of the show alongside Sloman in 2016 following the appointment of a new executive producer. A show insider commented, "Pam and Les have been a big part of the show over the past few months and with their current storyline, bosses felt that it was the right time for their characters to leave the Square. There is still plenty more drama to come from the Cokers before they leave Walford."[4] Pam departed in the episode broadcast on 14 October.[5] Blakely filmed two appearances for the soap in 2017 and Pam appeared in the episodes broadcast on 25 May and 22 June.[6] Pam made another appearance in the soap on 5 February 2018.[7] Blakely reprised the role for two episodes in 2019,[8] and the character reappeared across two episodes in November. She then made another return in January 2022.[9]

Emmerdale

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In June 2023, it was announced Blakely would be joining the cast of the ITV soap opera Emmerdale, portraying Georgia Sharma, the mother of Jai Sharma, taking over the role from Trudie Goodwin.[10]

Personal life

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Blakley married founding member of the 1960s pop band The Tremeloes, Alan Blakley in 1969.[11] Two years later they had a daughter, Kirsten, who would become the lead singer in indie band named Little Spitfire, and in 1974 they had a second daughter, Claudie, who became an actress, notable for starring in Pride and Prejudice and Lark Rise to Candleford.[11] Blakley is also Patron of Windlesham Drama Group and President of the Quince Players, Sunninghill.

Filmography

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Film
Year Film Role Notes
2004 The Football Factory Tamara's mother
Meat June Short film
2005 Shaking Dreamland Pam
2007 Gone Fishing Emily Short film
2008 Sydney Turtlebaum Brenda
2009 Malice in Wonderland Mrs. Jones
2011 Late Bloomers The Grey Panther
Age of Heroes Mrs. Shepard
2012 Rufus Stone Abigail Short film
2016 Gozo Jen
2021 Boris Says Mum Short film
Television
Year Title Role Notes
2005 Derailed Maureen Groves Television film
2006 Vital Signs Irene Series 1: Episode 5
2007 Doctors Susan Staplehurst Episode: "Words Unspoken"
The Bill Mrs. Harman Episode: "485: Dead Man's Hand - Part 2"
2008 Lorna Wickham Episode: "Lifesaver"
The Children Mel Miniseries; 2 episodes
2009 Doctors Lorraine Preston Episode: "Road to Recovery"
Midsomer Murders Janet Painter Episode: "The Dogleg Murders"
2010 Holby City Rachael Pennington Episode: "Transgressions"
2011 Law & Order: UK Jessica Vickery Episode: "Tick Tock"
2012 One Night Joan Burton Episode: "Ted"
Hunted Grandma Freeman Episode: "LB"
2013 Doctors Barbara Kay Episode: "Behind Closed Doors"
2014–2019, 2022 EastEnders Pam Coker Regular role; 216 episodes
2017 Doctors Mary Crowe Episode: "Wearing Purple"
2018 Casualty Maggie Coomes 2 episodes
Silent Witness Mrs. Kennedy Episodes: "Family: Parts 1 & 2"
Ackley Bridge Dianne Carter Series 2: Episode 8
2019 Dark Money Avril Allen Episodes: "All That Glitters"... and "The Valiant One"
2021 Doctors Alice Eliot[12] Episode: "This is Me"
2022 Vera Sandra Mallon Episode: "Tyger Tyger"
2023 Emmerdale Georgia Sharma Regular role

Stage

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Year Title Role Notes
2004 Effi's Burning Effi Lead role
All My Sons Kate
2006 You Never Can Tell Mrs. Clandon
Hay Fever Clara
2007 Puntill and his man Matti Emma
2008 Talking Heads Lead One Woman Performance
2009 Vincent in Brixton Ursula Lead role
The Entertainer Phoebe
2010 The Miser Marguerita
2019 Other People's Money Bea Sullivan Southwark Playhouse
Murder, Margaret and Me Agatha Christie UK Tour

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Lin Blakley – Spotlight
  2. ^ Writer: Jon Sen; Director: Fiona Walton; Producer: Gwenllian Gravelle (27 January 2017). "Episode 21". Casualty. BBC. BBC One.
  3. ^ a b c d Digital Spy – EastEnders to introduce Les Coker's wife, Pam for new funeral parlour
  4. ^ Methven, Nicola (28 July 2016). "EastEnders' cross-dressing funeral boss Les Coker and wife Pam to leave soap". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  5. ^ Executive Producer: Sean O'Connor; Director: Sophie Lifschutz; Writer: Daran Little (14 October 2016). "Episode dated 14/10/2016". EastEnders. BBC. BBC One.
  6. ^ Dainty, Sophie (13 June 2017). "EastEnders will welcome back Pam Coker again next week as she arrives to support Billy Mitchell". Digital Spy. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  7. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (30 January 2018). "EastEnders return for Pam Coker as Billy Mitchell faces the week from hell". Digital Spy. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  8. ^ Marshall, Michelle (7 August 2019). "EastEnders spoilers: Ben Mitchell set for big shock as former star hints return". Daily Express. Retrieved 7 August 2019. I'm going back soon. Just for a couple of episodes and I love it.
  9. ^ Patterson, Stephen (7 November 2019). "EastEnders spoilers: Pam Coker returns tonight as Ben Mitchell's actions upset Callum Highway". Metro. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  10. ^ "EastEnders icon Lin Blakley joins Emmerdale as Jai's mum Georgia is recast". Metro. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  11. ^ a b IMDb – Lin Blakley
  12. ^ Timblick, Simon. "'Doctors' spoilers: Valerie Pitman goes wedding dress shopping!". What to Watch. (Future plc). Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
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