Glynis Barber


Glynis Barber is a South African-British actress. She is known for her portrayals of Sgt. Harriet Makepeace in the British police drama Dempsey and Makepeace, Glenda Mitchell in EastEnders, DCI Grace Barraclough in Emmerdale, Norma Crow in Hollyoaks, Fiona Brake in Night and Day, and Soolin in Blake's 7.

Early life

Barber was born in Durban, Union of South Africa, the daughter of Heather Maureen and Frederick Werndly Barry van der Riet.

Acting career

Television

Barber studied at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Acting since 1978, securing small parts such as a secretary in 1980 in Bognor, her breakthrough came in 1981 with her role as Soolin in Series 4 of the BBC science fiction television series Blake's 7 although she had also played a different character in a Series 1 episode.
In 1982, she took the title role in the television series Jane playing a Second World War heroine. This series was filmed against a blue screen allowing for the addition of a cartoon background, an experimental technique in its day. However, Barber is best known for her mid-1980s role of Sgt. Harriet Makepeace in the police drama Dempsey and Makepeace, where she met her future husband, Michael Brandon.
Since 1987, Barber has appeared frequently in plays, films and television series. She also starred in the LWT drama series Night and Day as Fiona Brake. In 2006, she joined the cast of ITV soap, Emmerdale, playing the character of DCI Grace Barraclough, investigating the death of Tom King on Christmas Day. She exited the soap in September 2007, when her character was killed. In 2009, she appeared as hospital administrator Jean McAteer in The Royal, another ITV drama series set in Yorkshire. In the same year, she and Brandon both appeared in an episode of the BBC series New Tricks, entitled "The Truth Is Out There".
On 23 October 2009, it was announced she would play Glenda Mitchell the mother of Ronnie Mitchell, Roxy Mitchell and Danny Mitchell in EastEnders after Jill Gascoine withdrew from the role during her first day on set. On 27 February 2011, it was announced that Barber was to leave EastEnders in March 2011. In February 2015, Barber admitted that she would consider an EastEnders comeback. The star commented: "I've always felt that Glenda left with a few unresolved issues. It would be fun to go back and create a little bit of havoc!". Glenda returned for two episodes on 1 January 2016. Barber returned to EastEnders full-time in January 2017 before leaving once again in February.
In September 2013, she appeared in the ITV dancing show Stepping Out with husband Michael Brandon. In August 2019, Barber narrated When Luxury Holidays Go Wrong on C5 and would later appear in the television series The Outpost. Since 2019, she has been narrating the Channel 5 series The Wonderful World of Chocolate. Then in 2022, she joined the cast of Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks as Norma Crow.

Theatre

Her stage work has included Macbeth, Killing Time with Dennis Waterman, High Flyers with Hugh Grant, Make Me a Match and The Graduate. In 2011, Barber starred alongside Christopher Timothy and Denis Lill in Alan Ayckbourn's Seasons Greetings, playing Belinda. In 2013, she played Melissa Gardner in Love Letters at Dundee Repertory Theatre along with Michael Brandon. Barber played Carole King's mother, Genie Klein, in the West End production of Beautiful – The Carole King Musical from its opening at the Aldwych Theatre on 24 February 2015 until 28 November 2015. In August 2025, she was cast in the 2025/26 UK and Ireland tour of Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile as Salome Otterbourne.

Film

Her early film roles included the horror film Terror, and the football drama Yesterday's Hero starring Ian McShane. She appeared as Lady Caroline in Michael Winner's 1983 remake of The Wicked Lady, which starred Faye Dunaway. In 1989, she appeared as Elisabeth Jekyll in Edge of Sanity, and the 1997 film Déjà Vu alongside Vanessa Redgrave. She appeared as Anthea Davis in On the Nose in 2001 along with Dan Aykroyd and Robbie Coltrane.

Personal life

Glynis van der Riet married actor Paul Antony-Barber, whom she met at drama school, in 1977; the couple divorced in 1979. During the filming of Blake's 7 she had a relationship with co-star Steven Pacey.
She married her Dempsey and Makepeace co-star Michael Brandon on 18 November 1989; the couple have a son.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1978TerrorCarol Tucker
1979Yesterday's HeroSusan
1982Invaders of the Lost GoldJanice Jefferson
1982TangiersBeth
1983The Wicked LadyCaroline
1983The [Hound of the Baskervilles (1983 film)|The Hound of the Baskervilles]Beryl Stapleton
1989Edge of SanityElisabeth Jekyll
1992The Mirror Crack'd from Side to SideLola Brewster
1997The Apocalypse WatchJanine Courtland
1997Déjà VuClaire
1998BeingsNancy Preston
2001On the NoseAnthea Davis
2013Hammer of the GodsAstrid
2014Edge of TomorrowGeneral TiernanScene cut
2015Point BreakFBI Head of Investigations
2019Passport to OblivionSimoneVoice
TBADream HackerSue HamiltonPost-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1978Blake's 7MutoidEpisode: "Project Avalon"
1979BBC Play of the MonthEthel VoyseyEpisode: "The Voysey Inheritance"
1980The History of Mr. PollyChristabelEpisode: #1.2
1980The SandbaggersMargaret MullerEpisode: "To Hell with Justice"
1980Sherlock Holmes and Doctor WatsonSophieEpisode: "The Case of the Sitting Target"
1980Sherlock Holmes and Doctor WatsonMeredith StanhopeEpisode: "The Case of the Three Uncles"
1981BognorSecretaryGuest cast for 6-episode story "Deadline"
1981A Fine RomanceLindaEpisode: "Unlucky in Love"
1981Kelly MonteithVariousEpisode: #3.4
1981Blake's 7SoolinMain cast
1982The New Adventures of Lucky JimLucy SimmonsMain cast
1982–1984JaneJaneTitle character
1985–1986Dempsey and MakepeaceSgt Harriet MakepeaceTitle character
1986Love and MarriageFiona JebbEpisode: "Demons"
1987Screen TwoLucyEpisode: "Visitors"
1988Tales of the UnexpectedLilian / Sylvia BrettEpisode: "The Dead Don't Steal"
1989MonstersDr. JarrisEpisode: "Mannikins of Horror"
1991Palace GuardDanielleEpisode: "Iced"
1994Diagnosis MurderSamantha LitvakEpisode: "Georgia on My Mind"
1994–1995Turbocharged ThunderbirdsTin-Tin
Sally
Lady Penelope		4 episodes
1998Babes in the WoodAngelaEpisode: ##1.6
1999Highlander: The RavenRachelEpisode: "The Rogue"
1999The BillVictoria SmithEpisode: "Sleeping with the Enemy"
2000DoctorsMiranda StocktonEpisode: "Love You Madly"
2001Dark RealmMrs. ParkerEpisode: "The House Sitter"
2001–2003Night & DayFiona Brake / GwenMain cast
2003The Afternoon PlayBrendaEpisode: "Turkish Delight"
2003Murphy's LawPatricia MorrisEpisode: "Kiss and Tell"
2005Family AffairsBelinda Heath5 episodes
2006–2007Trial & RetributionDora Hills2 episodes
2006–2007EmmerdaleDCI Grace Barraclough18 episodes
2009New TricksCheryl BrookerEpisode: "The Truth Is Out There"
2009–2011The RoyalJean McAteerMain cast
2010–2011,
2016–2017		EastEndersGlenda Mitchell109 episodes
2013Law & Order: UKSue PendleEpisode: "Dependent"
2013Comedy FeedsCynthiaEpisode: "Bamboo"
2013CasualtyBarbara CullenEpisode: "Three's a Crowd"
2013MarpleCora Van StuyvesantEpisode: "Endless Night"
2018Royal HeartsJoanTV movie
2019London KillsKirsten Pryce MPEpisode: "The Politician's Son"
2019–2020The OutpostGertrushaMain cast
2022–2024HollyoaksNorma CrowSeries regular
2022Silent WitnessCaroline Bergqvist2 episodes

Audio

YearTitleRoleNotes
2018Blake's 7MagdaEpisode: "Blake's 7 (audio drama)#Special: [The Way Ahead (2018)|The Way Ahead]"
2019Doctor Who: [The Fourth Doctor Adventures]Kathy BlakeEpisode: "Doctor Who: The [Fourth Doctor Adventures#Season 8 (2019)|The Sinestran Kill]"
2022Doctor Who: [The First Doctor Adventures]Nicholaa de la HayeEpisode: "Doctor Who: The [First Doctor Adventures#Series 1: The Outlaws (2022)|The Outlaws]"

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
1996Goosebumps: Escape from HorrorlandMrs. Morris
2001Hostile Waters: Antaeus RisingChurch

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2002The British Soap AwardsSexiest FemaleNight and DayNomitated
2008Digital Spy Soap AwardsBest ExitEmmerdaleNomitated
2011The British Soap AwardsVillain of the YearEastEndersNomitated
2022Inside Soap AwardsBest VillainHollyoaksNomitated
2023Inside Soap AwardsBest VillainHollyoaks