Susan Joan Holderness (born 28 May 1949) is an English actress. While predominantly active in theatre, she has made appearances in a number of films and television series such as Bless This House (1974), The New Avengers (1977), Canned Laughter (1979), The Sandbaggers (1980), The Cleopatras and It Takes a Worried Man (1983), The Brief and Minder (1984), Doctors (2004, 2011, 2014), Still Open All Hours (2018–2019) EastEnders and The Madame Blanc Mysteries (2021). However, she is best known for her role as Marlene Boyce in Only Fools and Horses from 1985 to 2003, and its spin-off The Green Green Grass from 2005 to 2009.

Career Holderness was born on 28 May 1949, in Hampstead, London. After taking her A-levels, she trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama.

She began her acting career with the Manchester 69 Theatre Company in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Peer Gynt and as Desdemona in Catch My Soul (Jack Good's rock-musical version of Othello). She has worked consistently in theatre, radio, film and television. West End plays include The Female Odd Couple, Why Not Stay for Breakfast, The Male of the Species and the highly acclaimed one-woman play Our Kid (based on Myra Hindley).

Holderness regularly appeared in The Vagina Monologues and she was in the cast of the touring play Seven Deadly Sins Four Deadly Sinners. She has toured the country in numerous plays and worked in several repertory companies. Much of her career has been spent performing in Alan Ayckbourn plays, three of which (Relatively Speaking, Time and Time Again, and How the Other Half Loves) she toured with John Challis.

Holderness played the role of Annie in the 2010 & 2011 UK Tours of Calendar Girls. She played Celia in the 2012 tour (Jan – May) and went back to playing Annie in the Autumn 2012 tour (Sep – December).

Television roles include Marianne in The Sandbaggers (two series), Bless This House, as Pamela Huntley-Johnson in the episode The Bells Are Ringing (1974), as Liz in It Takes a Worried Man (two series), Jo in The Brief, Cleopatra IV in The Cleopatras; as Laura Doolan, a wife of serial bigamist "Confident" Clive Cosgrove in the Minder episode "A Number of Old Wives Tales" (1984); episodes of The New Avengers, Thriller, Sob Sisters, Growing Pains, Doctors, Lime Street with Robert Wagner, and Murder in Suburbia.

She played a prominent role as Marlene, wife to Boycie (played by John Challis) in Only Fools And Horses and the spin-off series The Green, Green Grass, which ran from 2005 – 2009, including four series and three Christmas Specials.

She played Rowan Atkinson's love interest, Lorraine, in Canned Laughter, and did numerous impersonations in two series of End of Part One. She played Maggie in Dear John, by John Sullivan, Joan Forrester (Oscar Blaketon's former wife) in Heartbeat for YTV, Joan Travis in Revelations, and Rachel's mother in Cold Feet, also for Granada. In April 2021, she made a guest appearance in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Estelle.

Films include That'll Be the Day (1973) and It Could Happen to You ( Intimate Teenage Secrets) (1976). She also appeared in the low budget feature Meat Draw and Out of Sight for Granada.

Holderness regularly appears in pantomime. including All You Need for Christmas at Fareham, Hampshire in 2009.

In 2014, Holderness appeared in the BBC One medical drama Casualty as Alice Sweeney. In 2018-2019 she appeared as Mrs Rossi in series five and six of the sitcom Still Open All Hours.

From 2021 to 2025 she starred as Judith Lloyd-James in The Madame Blanc Mysteries.

Personal life Holderness is married to Mark Piper, former executive director of the Theatre Royal, Windsor. She has two grown up children and three grandchildren (2024.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1973 That'll Be The Day Shirley 1976 It Could Happen to You Christine 1998 The Meat Draw Carmen

Television Year Title Role Notes1971 Lollipop Receptionist Episode: "Doctor Fruit Cake"1972 Tightrope Joanna 5 episodes Fly Into Danger Sarah Davenport All 7 episodes Harriet's Back in Town Jennifer Grant 2 episodes1974 Bless This House Pamela Huntley-Johnson Episode: "The Bells Are Ringing"1975 Thriller Betty Episode: "If It's a Man, Hang Up"1976 4 Idle Hands Miss Pemberton Episode: "Out of the Frying Pan"1977 The New Avengers Victoria Stanton Episode: "Medium Rare"1978 The One and Only Phyllis Dixey Mildred Challenger TV film1979 Canned Laughter Lorraine 1979–1980 End of Part One Various All 14 episodes1980 The Sandbaggers Marianne Straker 8 episodes1983 The Cleopatras Cleopatra IV 2 episodes It Takes a Worried Man Liz 13 episodes1984 The Brief Jo Gould All 13 episodes Minder Laura Episode: "A Number of Old Wives Tales"1985–1996, 2001–2003 Only Fools and Horses Marlene Boyce 20 episodes1986–1987 Dear John Maggie 3 episodes1989 Sob Sisters Marion Episode: "I Don't Think We're in Kansas Anymore" Young, Gifted and Broke Diane Episode: #1.71992 Growing Pains Various Episode: "The Lady and the Tramp"1993 You, Me and It Sonia Episode: #1.2 Heartbeat Joan Forrester 2 episodes1996 Revelations Joan 11 episodes1998 Out of Sight Bride's Mother Episode: "Photo Finish" Colour Blind Mrs. Barton Episode: #1.22000, 2003 Cold Feet Mary Bradley 2 episodes2004 Murder in Suburbia Penny Gregson Episode: "Sanctuary" Doctors Sheila Kelly Episode: "Watching Myself Die"2005–2009 The Green Green Grass Marlene Boyce All 32 episodes2011 Doctors Beryl Mellor Episode: "Light Blue Touch Paper"2012 Crime Stories Hazel Wood Episode: #1.112013 Casualty Alice Sweeney Episode: "Between the Cracks"2014 Doctors Rose Day Episode: "Scullery Boy"2018–2019 Still Open All Hours Mrs. Rossi 10 episodes2020 Holby City Gloria Davidson Episode: #22.102021 EastEnders Estelle Jones 4 episodes2021–present The Madame Blanc Mysteries Judith 28 episodes

References

External links

Intertalent profile