Mum on German television

Daphne Neville (left) appearing as Emma in 'Die Rose von Kerrymore'

Angela Howard-Bent, CEO of Dashwood Film Productions, became well known for her enthusiasm to adapt Rosamunde Pilcher's bestselling romantic novels. In the year 2000 she co-produced The Rose of Kerrymore as a dual language production with German television. To the delight of the cast and crew this was shot on location in Dorset, featuring some of the most beautiful scenery in England .

My mother played Emma the housekeeper, enjoying the opportunity to see around the historic churches and interesting country estate where the story was set. She was the only member of the cast who was not German.

Matthias Zahlbaum, (above) known for Drunter und Druber, Das Schlob meins Vaters and Zwei Manner am Herd played Dr Tom Winter. Jenny Jurgens played Sally, the girl who fell in love with him, while Dietmar Schonherr had the role of grumpy old Lord Kerrymore. Mum was thrilled to be acting as his housekeeper.

When the series was broadcast in 2001, Matthias Zahlbaum wrote enthusiastically from Hamburg, saying that 6 million people had watched the ninety minute drama. He was very pleased with the viewing figures. We rang to congratulate Angela Howard-Bent, who had worked so hard on the project.

While Die Rose von Kerrymore was directed by Axel de Roche, who only had time to direct one further episode, the screenplay was written by Marlies Ewald, who went on to adapt many more well-loved Rosamunde Pilcher novels for the screen. It proved a hugely successful series, running for years. ZDF produced more than 100 of her stories for German television viewers.

Distributed by ZDF Enterprises, Die Rose von Kerrymore was a co-production with Steamship Films, FFP Media Entertainment, Zweiters Deutsches Fernsehen, Osterreichischer Rundfunk, MediaTrade, Videx International and Mainostelvisio (MTV3)

Daphne Neville is a leading character in Funnily Enough, the true story, recently serialised in eleven issues of iBelieve magazine.

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Mum's More Medical Moments in Movies

For someone who is never ever ill, and hates even the idea of hospital, it is rather surprising to digest the fact that Mum loves playing a patient.

Daphne Neville with Roy Dotrice

She doesn't seem to mind what she looks like on the screen. Here she is playing Louise, an A&E patient in 'Casualty', the long-running hospital drama made by BBC TV.

Playing a patient called Louise in 'Casualty'

The call now is for old ladies in need of comfort. This was a short WWII mystery movie called Lost Hearts shot on location near Malvern in Worcestershire in 2011.

Katrina Norbury and Daphne Neville in 'Lost Hearts'

She absolutely adored being in 'Doctors' for BBC TV - you can tell from this photo.

Daphne Neville and Tony Adams in 'Doctors'

Things were once different. She always enjoyed being a medic, although appearing as Nurse Fisher in the film 'Diagnosis Murder'  with Christopher Lee did not do much for her career in that area.

Daphne Neville as Nurse Fisher in 'Diagnois Murder'

I am sure she did something terrible to the poor man in the wheel chair. He didn't look very well at all.

Playing a mid-wife for BBC TV back in 1994

There even was a time when she played a doctor. That was alarming.She played Dr Machin in the ATV soap opera Crossroads. So many people though she was a real doctor she could hardly go to the supermarket.

Playing Dr Hilary Machin in 'Crossroads'

For a more comprehensive credit list please click here