Anne Kirkbride facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anne Kirkbride
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Kirkbride in 2012
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| Born | 21 June 1954 Oldham, Lancashire, England
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| Died | 19 January 2015 (aged 60) Manchester, England
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| Years active | 1971–2014 |
| Known for | Role of Deirdre Barlow in Coronation Street |
| Spouse(s) |
David Beckett
(m. 1992) |
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Anne Kirkbride (born 21 June 1954 – died 19 January 2015) was a well-known English actress. She was most famous for playing Deirdre Barlow for a very long time. This was in the TV show Coronation Street. She played Deirdre for 42 years, from 1972 to 2014. After she passed away, she received a special award. It was called the Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2015 British Soap Awards.
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Anne Kirkbride's Early Life
Anne Kirkbride was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England. Her father was Jack Kirkbride, a cartoonist. He drew cartoons for a local newspaper. Anne went to Counthill Grammar School in Oldham. After school, she started working at the Oldham Repertory Theatre. She began as an assistant helping backstage. Soon, she started getting acting roles herself.
Anne Kirkbride's Acting Career
Becoming Deirdre Barlow in Coronation Street
Anne Kirkbride was noticed by people who cast actors for Coronation Street. This happened when she acted in a play called Another Sunday and Sweet F.A. in 1972. She first played a small part as Deirdre Hunt in Coronation Street in November 1972. Her character became more important over time. After more appearances in 1973, Anne signed a contract in 1974.
From then on, Deirdre Barlow became a very famous character. She was known for her big glasses and her unique, husky voice. Anne Kirkbride played Deirdre for over four decades.
On 29 September 2014, it was announced that Anne would take a three-month break from the show. She did not film any final scenes before she died. Her last scenes aired on 8 October 2014. In the show, her character Deirdre was said to be staying with a friend. Later, in July 2015, Deirdre's death was announced. This happened on the day of her 60th birthday party. Her friend Bev Unwin came back to tell Ken and Tracy.
At the 2015 British Soap Awards, Anne received a special award. It was the Outstanding Achievement award. Her husband accepted the award on her behalf.
Other Television Appearances
Anne Kirkbride was the focus of a TV show called This Is Your Life in 1998. On this show, famous people are surprised by their friends and family. Michael Aspel surprised Anne on the set of Coronation Street.
In 2012, Anne made a documentary called Deirdre & Me. This was a 60-minute special. It celebrated her 40th year of playing Deirdre. She also made an earlier documentary with the same name in 2001. Her father, Jack Kirkbride, was interviewed in the 2001 documentary.
In 2007, Anne starred in the first episode of You Don't Know You're Born. This was a show about family history. It was shown on ITV1. The show revealed that Anne had Irish family roots. Her ancestors came from Gort, County Galway.
Anne Kirkbride's Personal Life
Anne Kirkbride married David Beckett in 1992. David was also an actor. They met while working on Coronation Street. David joined the cast as Deirdre's boyfriend in the show.
In 1993, Anne faced a health challenge. She was diagnosed with a type of cancer called non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. She recovered from this within a year.
Anne Kirkbride's Death and Tributes
Anne Kirkbride passed away in a Manchester hospital on 19 January 2015. She was 60 years old. She died from breast cancer that had spread. Her funeral was a private ceremony held on 27 January 2015. Many of her co-stars from Coronation Street attended. These included William Roache, Beverley Callard, Kate Ford, and Johnny Briggs.
At the 20th National Television Awards, which happened two days after Anne's death, William Roache paid tribute to her. He played her on-screen husband and was a close friend. The actor Adam Woodyatt dedicated an award to Anne. His show EastEnders won "Best British Soap". He called her "the Weatherfield One". This was a reference to a Coronation Street story. In that story, Deirdre was wrongly put in prison.
A public memorial service for Anne Kirkbride was held later. It took place at Manchester Cathedral on 30 May 2015.
See Also
In Spanish: Anne Kirkbride para niños
