Remembering acting legend Prunella Scales’s classic Coronation Street role following her death aged 93

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Beloved comedy actress Prunella Scales, famous for playing Sybil Fawlty in the classic sitcom Fawlty Towers, died yesterday.

Prunella Scales, beloved actress and mother to Samuel and Joseph West, passed away peacefully at her London home yesterday at the age of 93, her sons announced.

Despite being diagnosed with dementia, which led to her retirement after an incredible acting career spanning almost seven decades, she remained at home. She was even enjoying an episode of Fawlty Towers the day before her passing.

“Pru was married to Timothy West for 61 years. He died in November 2024.”

She is remembered by her two sons, one stepdaughter, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

We’re so grateful to everyone who cared for Pru during her final days. Thanks to their kindness, she was comfortable, peaceful, and felt loved until the very end.

I’ve been a huge fan of hers for years! She had such an incredible career, spanning 67 years, and she was brilliant in so many different parts. I remember her as Queen Elizabeth II in ‘A Question of Attribution,’ and I always loved her as Irene in ‘Ladies of Letters’ on BBC Radio 4. And more recently, I really enjoyed watching her and Timothy travel around on ‘Great Canal Journeys’ – ten seasons of them! It was lovely to see them enjoying life together.

But did you know that one of her earliest parts was in Coronation Street?

In 1961, Scales took to the cobbles as Weatherfield bus conductor Eileen Hughes.

Eileen made her first appearance in episode 13, searching for her coworker, Harry Hewitt (played by Ivan Beavis). This didn’t go unnoticed by Ena Sharples (Violet Carson), who had already observed that shopkeeper Florrie Lindley (Betty Alberge) was developing a crush on him.

Eileen said she needed to give him a package back, but he didn’t want to encourage her attention.

The next month, she unexpectedly appeared at the Rovers pub during a darts game, which distracted Harry and nearly cost him the competition.

A few weeks after that, she unexpectedly showed up during his birthday dinner with Florrie, gave him a gift, and then disappeared from his life.

Scales continued to appear in television dramas, playing Jocelyn Anderson in an episode of Casualty in 2004 and Hattie Dymchurch in Where The Heart Is the next year.

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2025-10-29 16:05