Anne Kirkbride

Anne Kirkbride (born 21 June 1954 in  Oldham,  Lancashire) is an  English  actress, best known for her long-running role as  Deirdre Barlow in  Coronation Street which she has played since 1972.

[edit] Coronation Street
Kirkbride was noticed by casting directors for the British soap opera Coronation Street while she did a Jack Rosenthal play for Granada called Another Sunday and Sweet FA (1972). She was offered to play the bit part of Deirdre Hunt in November 1972. After a few appearances, the character's popularity grew and after further appearances in 1973, Kirkbride signed a contract with the serial in 1974. Since then, Deirdre has become synonymous with a scratchy voice (caused by real-life chain smoking) and very big spectacles.

[edit] Other television appearances
In 1998 Kirkbride appeared on This Is Your Life during the same time she was battling severe depression. In 2001, Kirkbride completed a documentary entitled Deirdre & Me.This was a 60 minute special to celebrate her 30th year of playing Deirdre.

In 2007, Kirkbride starred in the first episode of ITV1's You Don't Know You're Born.

Personal life
Kirkbride is the daughter of Jack Kirkbride, former cartoonist for the Oldham Evening Chronicle.

In 1993, Kirkbride was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Since then, she has spoken to the British press about her bout of depression following the diagnosis. She was cured within a year of being diagnosed.

She has been married to former actor, David Beckett since 1992. They met on the set of Coronation Street, when Beckett joined the cast as her character Deidre's on-screen boyfriend. In 2012, Anne admitted that the couple had an affair with each other.