Felicity Jane Montagu (born 12 September 1960) is an English actress. She is best known for playing Lynn Benfield, the long-suffering assistant of Alan Partridge, and Margo Martins in Beyond Paradise (2023–present).

Early life Montagu was born in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire in 1960. She is one of five children, and is a 6x great-granddaughter of Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester. She attended Loughborough University and the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.

Career Felicity Montagu has appeared in films and in television programmes. She appears on stage and does voice acting on radio. Her career began on stage after she graduated from drama school.

Film Montagu's reputation in comedy character parts was enhanced by her performance in Bridget Jones's Diary as Perpetua, Bridget's unpleasant colleague. She also appeared in the 2006 film Confetti as highly strung magazine editor Vivien Kay-Wylie. She appeared in the film I Want Candy in which she plays the mother of an ambitious teenager. She appeared in How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008).

In 2013, she reprised her role as Lynn Benfield for the Alan Partridge film Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, and Mrs Mainwaring in the 2016 Dad's Army film. In 2016, Montagu reprised her role as Miss Adolf from the Hank Zipzer series in the TV movie Hank Zipzer's Christmas Catastrophe.

Television

In 2004 and 2005, Montagu starred in the ITV comedy drama Doc Martin as Caroline Bosman, the radio presenter of Radio Portwenn. She played Lynn, the faithful but put-upon personal assistant in I'm Alan Partridge, and the vicar's wife Sue in Nighty Night. In 2006, she took the leading role of housewife and gang queen Barbara Du Prez in the comedy series Suburban Shootout.

Her other television credits include Mapp & Lucia, The Bill, Lovejoy, Health and Efficiency, Wish Me Luck, Tumbledown, Harry Enfield's Television Programme, 2point4 Children, A Touch of Frost, My Life as a Popat, Johnny and the Bomb, Peak Practice, The Queen's Sister, Coogan's Run, Doc Martin, Lead Balloon, Alexei Sayle's Stuff, Skins, Hank Zipzer, M.I. High, The Durrells, The End of the F***ing World, Rab C. Nesbitt, and Sally4Ever.

In 2020, she appeared as a contestant on Celebrity Masterchef.

She has a role in the main cast in the series Beyond Paradise, a spin-off from the Death in Paradise series. Three series have aired, from 2023 to 2025. A fourth series is anticipated.

Theatre After graduating from drama school, Montagu was cast in the Terry Johnson play Unsuitable for Adults at the Bush Theatre. She went on to work at the Royal Court Theatre and the Royal National Theatre.

After a long hiatus due to her screen work, Montagu returned to the stage when she starred as Melanie alongside Rowan Atkinson in the 2013 West End production of Quartermaine's Terms at Wyndham's Theatre. In 2017, she appeared at the Liverpool Playhouse in a stage adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice as Mrs Bennet, alongside Matthew Kelly as Mr Bennet.

Radio Montagu has also been a regular voice on a range of comedy programmes on BBC Radio 4 since the mid-1980s. Her credits include Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, Delve Special, Ayres on the Air, Dial M For Pizza, Old Harry's Game, The Million Pound Radio Show, Revolting People, and No Commitments.

Personal life Montagu married Alan Nixon in 1984. They divorced in 2006. The couple have two children, Olivia and Luke. Felicity and Olivia worked together in 2016 in the BBC Radio 4 series Guilt Trip, in which they played a fictional mother and daughter.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1985 Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV Anthea Episode: "Episode #1.5"1985Coming ThroughJesse ChambersTV film 1986 We'll Think of Something Celia Episode: "You Know Who Your Friends Are" Who Dares Wins Pregnant Woman 2 episodes 1987–1989 Ffizz Griselda 12 episodes 1988 Tumbledown TriciaTelevision film 1988 This is David Lander Linda TimsonEpisode: "Reduced to Tears" 1988–1989 Alexei Sayle's Stuff Various Roles 7 episodes 1989 Norbert Smith, a Life Cecilia Johanson Television film 1990 Wish Me Luck Nicole Dissard 7 episodes Harry Enfield's Television Programme Thirties Player Episode: "Episode #1.1" 1991 The Bill Pearce Episode: "Furthers" Josie Jacklyn 2 episodes Casualty Karen Forrester 2 episodes Paul Merton: The Series Various Characters Episode: "Episode #1.6" 1992 Lovejoy Deborah Frobisher Episode: "Out to Lunch 2Point4 Children Janice Episode: "I'm Going Slightly Mad" Funny Business Performer Episode: "Visual Comedy" 1993 Bonjour la Classe Parent 2 Episode: "Red Card" KYTV Horsey Woman Episode: "Get Away with You" 1993–1995 Health and Efficiency Dr. Kate Russell 12 episodes 1994 A Touch of Frost Anne Butler Episode: "Nothing to Hide" The All New Alexei Sayle Show Various Characters Episode: "Episode #1.6" 1995 Coogan's Run Florence Mullinger Episode: "Handyman for All Seasons" 1995–1998 Smith & Jones Various 3 episodes 1997 Brass Eye Dinner Party Guest (uncredited) Episode: "Animals" Holding the Baby Jane Episode: "Episode #1.6" Hospital! Sally Television film Harry Enfield and Chums Woman in Cholmondeley-Warner Film Episode: "Harry Enfield and Christmas Chums" 1997–2002 I'm Alan Partridge Lynn Benfield 12 episodes 1998 Hetty Wainthropp Investigates Susan Dent Episode: "Blood Relations" Babes in the Wood Sasha Episode: "Christmas Special" 1999 All Along the Watchtower Mrs. Carter Episode: "Keeping the Peace" Acts of Passion Rosemary Episode: "Hungry" People Like Us Various Episode: "The Estate Agent" 2000 The Mrs Bradley Mysteries Ruby Larkin Episode: "The Rising of the Moon" City Central Jenny Wilson Episode: "Everything Must Go" Trust Beth Simpson Television film Peak Practice Marian Lowther Episode: "On a Clear Day" 2001 Bridget Jones's Diary Perpetua Mr Charity Mrs. Gilbert Episode: "You and Whose Tsunami?" Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible Lavinia Episode: "And Now the Fearing..." 2003 The Eustace Bros. Ginny Topley Episode: "Episode #1.5" Blackball Astronomer The Crouches Eileen Episode: "Uncle Sonny" Hear the Silence Mary Watt Television film 2004–2005 Nighty Night Sue Forks 10 episodes 2004–2007 My Life as a Popat Ivy Saviour 5 episodes 2004–2013 Doc Martin Caroline Bosman 7 episodes 2005 The Afternoon Play Marjorie Goldblum Episode: "The Singing Cactus" Bremner, Bird and Fortune Unknown Episode: "Episode #7.6" The Queen's Sister Gillian Fleming Television film Planet Sketch Various (voice) 26 episodes 2006 Johnny and the Bomb Mildred Seeley 2 episodes Uncle Dad Mrs. Farquharson Television series My Family Lydia Episode: "Dentally Unstable" Confetti Vivian 2006–2007 Suburban Shootout Barbara du Prez 11 episodes 2007 I Want Candy Val, Joe's Mum Daphne Director, 'September Tide' Television film 2008 M.I. High Big Sister/Mary Taylor Episode: "Big Sister" How to Lose Friends & Alienate People Clipboard Nazi 2009 No Holds Bard Paula Pickford Television film Off the Hook Danny's Mum/Mrs. Gordon 2 episodes Outnumbered Mrs. Bain Episode: "The Robbers" 2010 Skins Anne Episode: "Emily" The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret Ms Whitehead Episode: "The Snooker Player, the Black Canadian, the Turkish Terrorist, and the Peanut" 2011 North by Northamptonshire Jan (voice) Radio series Lead Balloon Libby Episode: "Off" Happy Clapper Cath Short film Comedy Showcase Meriel Episode: "Chickens" Chickens Meriel Episode: "Pilot" Rab C. Nesbitt Reverend Biddulph Episode: "Stool" 2011–2012 Little Crackers Mrs. Peters/Mrs. Phipps 2 episodes 2012 Parents Mary Episode: "Episode #1.6" Just Desserts Carol Short film 2012–2013 Watson & Oliver Various 2 episodes 2013 It's Kevin Various Episode: "Episode #1.2" Playhouse Presents Meg Episode: "Stage Door Johnnies" Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa Lynn Benfield You, Me & Them Mags Episode: "Three Dinners" 2014 The Slammer Polly Meadows Episode: "Polly Meadows" The Boy in the Dress Miss Price Television film Mapp & Lucia Godiva "Diva" Plaistow 3 episodes 2014–2016 Hank Zipzer Miss Adolf 38 episodes 2015 Funny Valentines Isabel Episode: "Last Chance" Two Down Mrs. Hannon BBC Comedy Feeds Joy Episode: "Fishbowl" 2016 Dad's Army Elizabeth Mainwaring The Alan Dimension Wendy (voice) Short film Brief Encounters Joan 5 episodes Hank Zipzer's Christmas Catastrophe Miss Adolf Television film 2016–2019 The Durrells Cousin Prue 4 episodes 2017 Husk Mother Short film Porridge Caroline Hawley Episode: "The Witness" The End of the F***ing World Jocelyn Episode: "Episode #1.6" Chinese Burn Sue Episode: "Pilot" 2017-2018 The Tunnel Winnie Miles 6 episodes 2018 Urban Myths Paula Strasberg Episode: "Marilyn Monroe and Billy Wilder" Vanity Fair Arabella Briggs 4 episodes Butterfly Alice 2 episodes Zapped Head Librarian Episode: "Book" Sally4Ever Eleanor 7 episodes Death on the Tyne Denise Television film It's Me, Sugar Paula Strasberg Short film 2019 The Road to Brexit Jill Spiller Television film Lasagne Betty Short film Four Weddings and a Funeral Duffy's Mom Episode: "New Jersey" National Theatre Live: A Midsummer Night's Dream Quince 2019–2021 This Time with Alan Partridge Lynn Benfield 12 episodes 2020 Resistance Mrs. Garner (Emma's Mother) Heart to Heart Hen Holligan Short film Miss Marx Helen Demuth 2021 The Announcement Patricia Short film Censor Valerie Brassic Lesley Anne Episode: "Episode #3.1" Landscapers Patricia Wycherley 3 episodes 2022 Sister Boniface Mysteries Canoness Basil Episode: "Lights, Camera, Murder!" Hullraisers Gloria 2 episodes The Train Tina 4 episodes 2023 Tom Jones Bridget Allworthy Episode: "Episode #1.1" Black Ops Superintendent Edwards 6 episodes 2023–present Beyond Paradise Margo Martins20 episodes 2025 Father Brown Judith SkeltonEpisode: "The Puzzle of Banburismus" 2025 Not Going Out YvonneEpisode: "Campervan"2025How Are You? It's Alan (Partridge)Lynn Benfield6 episodes 2025 The Cadburys Mary Brown

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