Sheila Bernette
English singer and actress (1931–2026)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sheila Bernette (occasionally Burnette; 30 March 1931 – 12 January 2026) was an English actress and singer who appeared in film, television and radio with a career spanning over 50 years.
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30 March 1931
- Actress
- singer
Sheila Bernette | |
|---|---|
Bernette in 1971 | |
| Born | Sheila Mary Poncini 30 March 1931 Marylebone, London, England |
| Died | 12 January 2026 (aged 94) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1955–2011 |
Early life
Bernette was born Sheila Mary Poncini in Marylebone, London on 30 March 1931.[1] She was the daughter of Charles Poncini, a restaurant waiter of Italian descent, and his wife Freda (nee Morris).[2][3]. She attended the Italia Conti Stage Academy from the age of two, specialising in ballet, leaving after five years to concentrate on acting at the Aida Foster Theatre School.[4]
Career
Bernette began her television career in 1955. She was popular and appeared as herself from 1968 in multiple UK television shows. Largely appearing in comedy roles, she was a regular sidekick to many stars including Dick Emery and Leslie Crowther. Bernette appeared as herself in many television productions. She is remembered as one of the regular practical jokers in the UK version of Candid Camera.[5] Very petite, Bernette usually wore her hair up to increase her height. A competent singer, she was a regular on variety shows such as the Good Old Days and The Black and White Minstrel Show and appeared on the Royal Variety Performance show of 1970.[6] In addition to her film and television roles, Bernette was a regular performer at the Players' Theatre in Covent Garden.[7]
In her Royal Variety Performance, she was introduced by Leslie Crowther as a Russian defector, the ballerina "Natalia Nokemova", and performed the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy with Crowther playing ballet cricketer "Freddie Trumanov".[6][3] Her final film role was in Driving Aphrodite in 2009, playing a pickpocket and shoplifter.[4] Her final television role was in Hotel Trubble, appearing in every episode from 2008 to 2011 as the long-term hotel resident and later cleaner, Mrs Poshington.[3]
Death
Bernette lived in North London. She died on 12 January 2026, at the age of 94.[3]
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Fabian of the Yard | N/a | |
| 1960 | Arthur's Treasured Volumes | Agnes Barrett | with Arthur Askey |
| 1961 | The Angry Gods | Dorcas | |
| 1962 | Harpers West One | Pat Williams | |
| 1963 | Hancock | Canteen lady | with Tony Hancock |
| 1963 | Walter and Connie | Janet | |
| 1963–1966 | Hugh and I | Jimmy's mother | with Terry Scott and Hugh Lloyd |
| 1964 | Dave's Kingdom | N/a | |
| 1965 | Crowther Takes a Look | N/a | with Leslie Crowther |
| 1967 | Beggar My Neighbour | Olive | |
| 1967–1969 | The Black and White Minstrel Show | Regular singer | |
| 1968 | BBC Show of the Week | Herself | |
| 1968 | Two of a Kind | Herself | Three episodes; with Morecambe and Wise |
| 1968–1983 | The Good Old Days | Regular performer | |
| 1968 | The Morecambe and Wise Show | — | |
| 1969 | The Saturday Crowd | Singer | All 28 episodes |
| 1970 | Sandler and Young's Kraft Music Hall | Singer | |
| 1970 | From a Bird's Eye View | Mrs Cake | |
| 1970 | Crowther's Back in Town | N/a | with Leslie Crowther |
| 1971 | The Leslie Crowther Show | Herself | |
| 1972 | Tarbuck's Luck | N/a | with Jimmy Tarbuck |
| 1972 | The Dick Emery Show | — | 4 episodes |
| 1973 | Shut That Door! | N/a | with Larry Grayson |
| 1973 | Coronation Street | Sister Delaney | |
| 1974 | Candid Camera | Female joker | 29 episodes |
| 1976 | Nobody Does it Like Marti | N/a | with Marti Caine |
| 1977 | The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin | Gladys | |
| 1978 | Cooper, Just Like That | Tommy Cooper's stage assistant | |
| 1979 | Butterflies | Keep-fit instructor | |
| 1981 | The Ballyskillen Opera House | Annie O'Kelly | |
| 1981 | Saturday Night at the Mill | Performer | |
| 1983 | Punchlines! | Herself | |
| 1987–1990 | The Little and Large Show | N/a | |
| 1992 | Virtual Murder | Mrs Hall | |
| 1992 | Uncle Jack and The Dark Side of The Moon | Miss Fortune | |
| 1995 | Agony Again | Faygey | |
| 2001 | The Queen's Nose | Gran's sister | |
| 2008–2011 | Hotel Trubble | Mrs Poshington | Series regular; 39 episodes |
| Sources: [8][9] | |||
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Sons and Lovers | Polly | |
| 1961 | Ticket to Paradise | Clarice | |
| 1967 | Daft as a Brush | N/a | TV movie |
| 1971 | The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins | Mrs Spencer | |
| 1975 | Eskimo Nell | Casting girl | |
| 1975 | Three for All | Rhoda | |
| 1978 | What's Up Nurse! | Mrs Garrard | |
| 1986 | Car Trouble | N/a | |
| 1987 | Kin of the Castle | N/a | TV movie |
| 2009 | Driving Aphrodite | Dorcas | |
| Sources: [8][9] | |||
Documentaries
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | A Little of What You Fancy | Herself | Performer/singer (e.g., "She Was Poor But She Was Honest"); documentary on British Music Hall with revivals at the Players' Theatre |
| 1994 | This Is Your Life | Herself | Episode on Leslie Crowther |
| 2010 | Smile... This Was Candid Camera | Herself | TV special; 50th anniversary celebration of the UK Candid Camera (performer of theme song and featured as original prankster) |
| Sources: [8][9] | |||