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Celia Imrie narrates a celebration of the life, work and TV appearances made over the years by one of Britain's greatest and best-loved actresses, Maggie Smith. Alongside new memories of Maggie from longstanding friends like Judi Dench and Derek Jacobi are a rich selection of classic clips from the 1960s to the 2020s, all demonstrating her wit, wisdom and famously sharp tongue
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Did You Know..
Celia Imrie
(Narrator)
Born:
July 15, 1952
in
Guildford, Surrey
Best Known For:
Her association with Victoria Wood.
Early-life:
Born Celia Diana Savile Imrie in Guildford, Surrey, on July 15, 1952. Her father, David, a radiographer from Glasgow, didn't live to see his daughter's success, although she believes he would have been very proud. Her Scottish blood has come in handy in playing numerous Celts on the big and small screen, although her original dream was to be a dancer. Unfortunately, a growth spurt in her teens meant she became too tall for ballet. She worked as a cleaner before landing starring roles.
Career:
Imrie's first professional jobs in showbusiness were in the chorus of various pantomimes. Her film and TV debuts came in 1974 in House of Whipcord and Upstairs, Downstairs. She continued to gain small roles in various productions, but her big break occurred when Victoria Wood offered her roles in As Seen on TV in 1985. Since then, she's continued to occasionally work with Wood and won a prestigious Olivier Award in 2006 for her role in Acorn Antiques: The Musical. Her other credits include Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, Highlander, Gormenghast, Bridget Jones' Diary, Star Wars: Episode One, Doctor Zhivago, Frankenstein, Calendar Girls, Nanny McPhee and St Trinian's (and its sequel). On TV she has also appeared in Kingdom, After You've Gone, Cranford, and the acclaimed one-off drama The Road to Coronation Street.
Quote:
On stripping off for Calendar Girls: 'I am very happy now that at my time of life I have learned to laugh at my bosom. In years gone by I could never have done all this.'
Trivia:
In 2013, Imrie received an honorary doctorate by the University of Winchester.
Simon Catt
(Producer)
Simon Goretzki
(Series producer)
