Coronation Street and Hot Fuzz actress Maria Charles dies aged 93 as fans pay tribute

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The London-born actress is best-known for having portrayed Lena Thistlewood in Coronation Street

Coronation Street and Hot Fuzz actress Maria Charles has died at the age of 93. Fans have led tributes to the London-born star who passed away on April 21.

Charles is best-known for having played Lena Thistlewood in Coronation Street. She also starred in the TV series Bad Girls and in the hit 2007 film Hot Fuzz alongside Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

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The actress began her life-long career in the 1940s, first landing a role as the Dormouse in a theatre production of Alice in Wonderland before taking on the West End stage.

On screen, she played Lena in Corrie from February 2005 to June 2005 and appeared in thirteen episodes. 

Fans have since paid tribute, with one writing: "RIP Maria Charles. She was fantastic in Bad Girls as Noreen Biggs. Great actress. To Sylvia Hollamby I Leave What's Under My Mattress."

"RIP Maria Charles. A great star of the stage, but it was the groundbreaking sitcom 'Agony' in 1979 where I first fell in love with her work. What a dreadful year 2023 is turning out to be!" wrote a second.

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A third person said: "RIP the lovely Maria Charles, who played feisty Noreen Biggs in both Bad Girls and Bad Girls the Musical in the West End. She was so much fun, a true pro with a naughty glint in her eye. Such a long illustrious career and always so lovely to be around."

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