Prefer Jewish News on Google
Maureen Lipman: BT adverts turned me from ‘jobbing actress to Jewish actress’
The actress opened up her part in British Telecom's beloved 1980s adverts, ahead of an online revival of Martin Sherman's one-woman play 'Rose' in which she plays the title role
Maureen Lipman opened up about her role as doting Jewish grandmother Beattie in British Telecom’s beloved 1980s adverts which catapulted her career from that of a “jobbing actress to a Jewish actress.”
The actress, who plays Evelyn Plummer in Coronation Street, spoke to the Guardian to discuss her title role in an online revival of Martin Sherman’s one-woman play “Rose”, which premieres on 10 September and will run for three nights only.
The play, she said, tells the “story of one woman’s recollection, from the Holocaust to the six-day war, and slightly beyond, and how she comes to make a stand herself, rather than just survive.”
During the interview, Lipman discussed the BT adverts, first aired around the time of her role in a 1982 stage production of Sherman’s play Messiah.
“I’d done Martin’s other play, Messiah”, she told the newspaper, “and I had an unfortunate experience: somebody in Hampstead stood up and screamed at me. It rattled me. I’ve always been a very confident actress and I never really questioned my confidence on stage, but it did unsettle me as a person.”
“And then, of course, the BT adverts happened around the same time, and it suddenly turned me from a jobbing actress to a Jewish actress,” she said.
Lipman’s Beattie made a surprise come-back last year in a clip criticising the Labour Party, produced by Mainstream, a campaign led by former MP Ian Austin.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
