Rita May (born 9 May 1942) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Mags in the ITV children's drama Children's Ward, Margaret in the Sky One sitcom Trollied, as well as Julie "Nana" Booth in the Channel 4 drama Ackley Bridge.
Career May began her career as a singer on the working men's club circuit in and around South Yorkshire. She featured in the television adaptation of Barry Hines's The Price of Coal, a Play for Today first broadcast in 1977, and as Jimmy Kemp's mother in Hines's scripted nuclear war drama Threads in 1984.
She has also appeared in television series such as Early Doors and Drop Dead Gorgeous, and radio programmes including Ed Reardon's Week and The Blackburn Files. In 2005, she appeared in one episode of Heartbeat. In March 2009, it was announced that May would appear as Connie Rathbone, a new love interest of Jack Duckworth, in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street.
From 2011 to 2018, she appeared in the Sky One sitcom Trollied, in which she played Margaret, a supermarket assistant pharmacist. In 2017, May appeared in Channel 4 drama Ackley Bridge as Julie "Nana" Booth. Her character died in the fourth episode of the series. She later appeared in an episode of the third series of Ackley Bridge in 2019, as part of a scene with Missy Booth (Poppy Lee Friar).
Filmography + Film Year Title Role Notes 1980 The Gamekeeper Mary 1981 Looks and Smiles Receptionist 1996 When Saturday Comes Mabel 1999 Fanny and Elvis Rick's Mother Minor role 2009 In the Loop Mrs. Michaelson 2014 Martha Old Lady 2018 Walk Like a Panther Mabel Higgens2020 Fargate Ethel Badger Short film Everybody's Talking About Jamie Mrs. Cardwell
+ Television Year Title Role Notes 1977 Play for Today Kath Storey 2 episodes1978 Fallen Hero Molly 1 episode Coronation Street Marjorie Pitts 2 episodes 1979 Crown Court Zoe Grimshaw 1 episode 1981 Coronation Street Freda 1 episode 1982 Play for Today Pat 1 episode 1983 The Gathering Seed Martha Kilbride 5 episodes1984 Juliet Bravo Audrey Mason 1 episode Threads Mrs. Kemp Television film Mitch Enid 1 episode 1985 Edge of Darkness Tea Lady Mini series 1988 Wish Me Luck Marguerite 1 episode 1989–2000 Children's Ward Mags Main role 1991 The Bill Doreen Noakes Minor role 1994 Heartbeat Junk Shop Owner Minor role 1996 Hetty Wainthropp Investigates Supermarket Shopper Cameo role1998 The Cops Pauline's Neighbour Cameo role Sharpe's Justice Mrs. Trent Television film Casualty Marion Copes 1 episode 1999 My Wonderful Life Mrs. Newell 1 episode2000 City Central Betty Sharples 1 episode Fat Friends Joan Kirk Recurring role Coronation Street Mrs. Wilberforce 1 episode2001 In Deep Joan Jameson 2 episodes Clocking Off Brenda Sleight 1 episode Coronation Street Brenda Kelly 1 episode Doctors Eileen Neville 1 episode 2002 Blood Strangers Pat Beresford Television film2003 The Royal Aunt Mary Graham Minor role Last of the Summer Wine Celia Minor role 2003–2004 Early Doors Jean Main role2004 Holby City Queenie Taylor 1 episode The Bill School Secretary Minor role Doctors Sadie O'Malley 1 episode2005 No Angels Mrs. Clemence Minor role Bodies Judith Bailey 1 episode 2005, 2007 Heartbeat Mrs. Sneddon 2 episodes2006 The Street Margie's Friend Cameo role Casualty Eileen Slater 1 episode 2006–2007 Drop Dead Gorgeous Nana Howard Recurring role2008 Trexx and Flipside Edna 1 episode Sunshine Doreen Minor role Doctors Maggie Wilson 1 episode 2009–2010 Coronation Street Connie Rathbone Recurring role2009 Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1974 Aunty Win Television film This Morning Herself Guest2010 Casualty Eileen Thompson 1 episode Doctors Phyllis March 1 episode 2011–2018 Trollied Margaret Main role; 68 episodes 2011 Doctors Mary Roberts 1 episode 2012 The Argument Maureen Television film 2014 Remember Me Mavis Minor role 2017, 2019 Ackley Bridge Julie "Nana" Booth Recurring role; 5 episodes 2018 Casualty Matilda Dunford 1 episode 2019 Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators Emelia Merchent 1 episode2020 Tea for Three Gran 1 episode Baby Zoomers Valerie 1 episode
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