Bella Emberg (born Sybil Dyke; 16 September 1937 – 12 January 2018) was an English actress whose television career spanned 60 years.

Early life and career Emberg was born on 16 September 1937 in Brighton, Sussex, and grew up wanting to be an entertainer. Her professional debut was in weekly repertory in Ryde, Isle of Wight, in the summer season of 1962, aged 25.

She appeared in television series such as The Benny Hill Show, Robin's Nest, Softly, Softly, Z Cars, Dawson Watch, Bear Behaving Badly and Grange Hill. Her best-known role was as a cast member in The Russ Abbot Show, in which she played superheroine Blunderwoman alongside Abbot's Cooperman character and appeared in 69 episodes in various roles. The show ran from 1980 to 1996, and at its peak attracted 18 million viewers.

Emberg also made a cameo appearance in Mel Brooks' film History of the World, Part I (1981). She made a guest appearance in the first episode of the revived version of The Basil Brush Show in 2002, and also featured in Doctor Who four times. From 2008 to 2010, she appeared as Barney Harwood’s fictional Aunt Barbara in Bear Behaving Badly on CBBC. In 1965, she had an uncredited appearance in Undermind, and other uncredited roles in the 1970s Third Doctor serials Doctor Who and the Silurians and The Time Warrior. In the revived series, she played Mrs Croot in "Love & Monsters". She filmed a second appearance as Mrs Croot for "The Runaway Bride", but this scene ended up on the cutting room floor.

Shortly before her death, she completed filming for In the Long Run, a Sky One comedy created by Idris Elba, which was broadcast in 2018.

Death Emberg's housemate found her collapsed at their home in London's Raynes Park on 12 January 2018, aged 80. Paramedics were unable to resuscitate her and she was found to have died from alcohol toxicity.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1969 The Siegfried Idyll Maid in Biebrich TV movie 1970 Morning Story Mrs Shaw TV movie 1972 Mr. Horatio Knibbles Woman crossing road (uncredited) Feature film 1978 Sammy's Super T-Shirt Woman at door (uncredited) Film 1981 History of the World, Part I Baguette – The French Revolution Feature film 1995 It Might Be You Lady Caller TV movie 2002 Fuel Effie Short film 2006 London Hospital Mrs Hard Up TV movie 2018 Dog Day Evelyn Short film

Television Year Title Role Notes 1961 Playbox Policewoman TV play series, 1 episode 1961 Our Mister Ambler TV series, 1 episode 1961 Maigret TV series, 1 episode 1964 Two of a Kind Girl TV series, 1 episode 1964 The Four Seasons of Rosie Carr Miniseries, 1 episode 1965 R3 Wife TV series, 1 episode 1965 ITV Play of the Week Nurse Cary TV play series, 1 episode 1965 UndermindVolunteer at Flu Research Centre (uncredited) TV series, episode: "Waves of Sound" 1965 Love Story Frau Kellerman TV series, 1 episode 1966 The Benny Hill Show Various characters TV series, 1 episode 1968 The Wednesday Play Maid TV play series, 1 episode 1968 Detective Parker TV series, 1 episode 1969 Softly, Softly Secretary TV series, 1 episode 1969 Father, Dear Father Myrtle TV series, 1 episode 1968, 1969 The Troubleshooters Nurse / Hilda TV series, 2 episodes 1969 Curry and Chips Woman TV series, 1 episode 1970 Villette Marie Bruc TV series, 1 episode 1970 The Roads to Freedom Rose Miniseries, 1 episode 1970, 1971 Doomwatch St. Simons' Islander / Woman TV series, 2 episodes 1971 Take Three Girls Annie TV series, 1 episode 1971 Cousin Bette Cousin Judici Miniseries, 1 episode 1971 The Goodies Delia's Dancer TV series, 1 episode 1972 Callan Prison Officer TV series, 1 episode 1972 Softly, Softly: Task Force Prison Officer / Police Woman TV series, 2 episodes 1973 Seven of One Mrs Beckett TV series, 1 episode 1973 ...And Mother Makes Three Woolworths Employee TV series, 1 episode 1973 Hunters Walk Mrs Flack TV series, 1 episode 1973 Sykes Passenger TV series, 1 episode 1973 The Tommy Cooper Hour TV series, 1 episode 1970, 1974 Doctor Who Kitchen Maid / Nurse TV series ("Doctor Who and the Silurians", "The Time Warrior") 1965–74 Z-Cars Various characters TV series, 4 episodes 1974 Father Brown Museum Guide TV series, 1 episode 1974–75 Man About the House Traffic Warden / Podge's Mother TV series, 7 episodes 1976 Lucky Feller Woman TV series, 1 episode 1976 George and Mildred Woman in Park TV series, 1 episode 1975–76 Within These Walls Prison Officer TV series, 5 episodes 1975–77 Doctor on the Go Housewife / Miss McArthur TV series, 2 episodes 1977 Big Boy Now! Mrs Craig TV series, 1 episode 1976–77 Yes, Honestly Mrs Lawson / Woman in Pub TV series, 2 episodes 1977 The Tomorrow People Cleaning Lady TV series, 1 episode 1977 The Foundation Traffic Warden TV series, 1 episode 1977 The Dick Emery Christmas Show: The Texas Connection Cook TV special 1978 Robin's Nest Dirty Agnes TV series, 1 episode 1978 Pennies from Heaven Mrs Corder TV series, 2 episodes 1978 Happy Ever After Daphne TV series, 1 episode 1978 The Birds Fall Down Catherine Miniseries, 2 episodes 1978–79 A Sharp Intake of Breath Doris / Mrs Casey / Mrs Jackson TV series, 4 episodes 1979 Spooner's Patch The Mayor's Wife TV series, 1 episode 1979 Rings on Their Fingers Café Waitress TV series, 1 episode 1979 Testament of Youth St Jude's Staff Nurse Miniseries, 1 episode 1980 Grange Hill Cleaning Lady TV series, 1 episode 1979–80 The Dawson Watch Barbra Streisand / Mastermind Contestant TV series, 3 episodes 1981 Now for Nookie Woman TV series, 1 episode 1971–82 The Benny Hill Show Various characters TV series, 15 episodes 1983 Let There Be Love Miss Turnbull TV series, 1 episode 1980–85 Madhouse Various characters TV series, 50 episodes 1987–90 The Les Dennis Laughter Show Various characters TV series, 14 episodes 1991 Billy Webb's Amazing Story Mrs Frisby TV series, 5 episodes 1986–94 The Russ Abbot Show Blunderwoman / Various characters TV series, 66 episodes 1996 The Ant & Dec Show TV series, 1 episode 1997 Ant & Dec Unzipped TV series, 1 episode 1997 The Lily Savage Show Bella the Hun TV series, 1 episode 1998 The Zig and Zag Show Completely Horrible Woman / Serena TV series, 2 episodes 2002 The Basil Brush Show Auntie TV series, episode 1 2002 Trial & Retribution Mrs Fowler TV series, episode 1 2006 Doctor Who Mrs Croot TV series, 1 episode: "Love & Monsters" 2008–10 Bear Behaving Badly Aunt Barbara TV series 2015 Pompidou Bella TV series, 3 episodes 2017–18 In the Long Run Sheila TV series, 3 episodes; final role

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