Over seven decades, the character actor Barbara Young, who has died aged 92, progressed from appearing in pioneering stage plays with Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop – everything from “ballad operas” to Shakespeare and Brecht – to the West End and scores of television programmes. Such was her longevity and versatility that she notched up four different roles in Coronation Street. The last, Doreen Fenwick, gave her an unusually lengthy 10-month screen run in 2007.
The bubbly, flirtatious character, once a member of Charlie Roscoe’s Exotic Dancers, was introduced as a friend and old trouper from Rita Sullivan’s singing days on the club circuit. Rita (Barbara Knox) enjoyed reminiscing about old times and Doreen helped out at her newsagent’s, the Kabin, where she received a marriage proposal from Rita’s assistant, Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden).
