Early life

Leach was born at Much Wenlock, Shropshire. Her parents were teachers related to Edmund Leach. She attended grammar school and RADA. After appearing in repertory theatres and the Old Vic she became well known to UK TV viewers between 1965-69 for playing Susan Wheldon, the mistress of building tycoon John Wilder (Patrick Wymark) in the TV boardroom drama The Power Game.

Career

In 1973, she played Aldonza/Dulcinea in the BBC production of Don Quixote (retitled The Adventures of Don Quixote), starring Rex Harrison and Frank Finlay. In 1978 she played Queen Victoria in the 4-part TV edition of 'Disraeli'. In 1981 she played Emilia opposite Bob Hoskins's Iago in the BBC Shakespeare's production of Othello.

In 1982 she played Aunt Fenny in The Jewel in the Crown and 1986 in a Jack Rosenthal British television Christmas play Day To Remember. She also played a leading role as smitten Joan Plumleigh-Bruce in the six part ITV 1987 production of The Charmer which starred Nigel Havers.

Her film roles included David Essex's mother in That'll Be the Day (1973), Ghost in the Noonday Sun (1973), the TV remake of Brief Encounter (1974), S.O.S. Titanic (1979), and a voice role in the animated film of The Plague Dogs (1982).

In 1987, she was nominated for BAFTA's Best Supporting Actress for A Room with a View (1985). In 1992, Leach starred in An Ungentlemanly Act, a BBC television film about the first days of the invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982, portraying the real-life Lady Mavis Hunt, wife of the islands' then governor, Sir Rex Hunt. In 1995, Leach participated in the popular BBC miniseries The Buccaneers a five-part television adaptation of Edith Wharton's unfinished novel. Leach appeared as Selina Marable, Marchioness of Brightlingsea.

Leach plays the part of Anna in BBC Radio 4's No Commitments, and Susan Harper's mother Grace in My Family. She made a guest appearance as 'Bessie' on Waterloo Road (the TV series), in Series 3 Spring Term. Since 1994, she has made occasional appearances in The Archers as Ellen Rogers, the ex-pat aunt of Nigel Pargetter.

In 2001, she played a leading role in Destroying Angel, an episode of Midsomer Murders.

She played Queen Elizabeth II three times: in the 2002 television movie Prince William; in a 2006 updated edition of The Afternoon Play, entitled Tea with Betty; and in 2009's Margaret. She played "Miss Plum" in an episode of Heartbeat called "Strangers meet on a train" in 2004.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1985	A Room with a View	Mrs Honeychurch

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1962-63	Z Cars	Mrs Outram / Ann Brown	2 episodes
1974	Brief Encounter	Mrs Gaines	TV movie
1984	The Jewel in the Crown	Aunt Fenny	TV mini-series, 7 episodes
1987	The Charmer	Joan Plumleigh-Bruce	TV mini-series, 6 episodes
1995	The Buccaneers	Lady Brightlingsea	5 episodes
	The Tomorrow People	Gladys Toms	5 episodes
2000-05	Doctors	Josephine Barker / Meg Carpenter	2 episodes
2001	Midsomer Murders	Evelyn Pope	Episode: Destroying Angel
2003-07	My Family	Grace	6 episodes
2004	Holby City	Barbara Rush	Episode: One More Chance
2004-05	Heartbeat	Dorothy Plum	2 episodes
2007	Casualty	Miranda Watts	Episode: Strangers When We Meet

Awards and nominations

year	award	category	work	result
1971	BAFTA TV Award	Best Actress	Germinal / The Roads to Freedom	Nominated
1973	BAFTA TV Award	Best Actress	ITV Playhouse / Cider with Rosie	Nominated
1974	BAFTA TV Award	Best Actress	The Adventures of Don Quixote	Nominated
1974	BAFTA Film Award	Best Supporting Actress	That'll Be the Day	Nominated
1977	Olivier Award	Best Actress in a New Play	Just Between Ourselves	Nominated
1982	Olivier Award	Best Actress in a New Play	84 Charing Cross Road	Won
1987	BAFTA Film Award	Best Supporting Actress	A Room with a View	Nominated

[ Source: Wikipedia ]