An early screen appearance was in Morning Story (1970), and in 1974 she appeared in an episode of Special Branch - guest starring as Dennis Waterman's on-screen sister. Turner also appeared in three episodes of The Sweeney (1975), playing Dennis Waterman's on-screen wife, Alison Carter. Her regular role as the featured character WPC Howarth in Z-Cars (1972–75) stood her in good stead for the future role of Inspector Jean Darblay.
She appeared in a 1975 episode of Public Eye as Julia Sissons, a 'missing' common-law wife-turned-barmaid. She also made an appearance in Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads and played a recurring role as Jessie Naylor, née Maugham, in Series 2 of Sam (1974).[1]
In 1980, after losing out to Jill Gascoine for the role of DI Maggie Forbes in ITV's The Gentle Touch (the first British police drama with a female lead), Turner won the role of Inspector Jean Darblay in the rival BBC series Juliet Bravo, which started airing four months after The Gentle Touch.[2] Turner left the programme after the third series, replaced by Anna Carteret as Inspector Kate Longton.
In the 1990s, she was in each episode of The Hello Girls as Miss Armitage, a supervisor of a 1950s GPO switchboard; and played Mrs Hope Q.C. in two episodes of At Home with the Braithwaites.[2]
Having worked in various roles between the 1960s and 2000s on stage, on radio, on television and as a director, Turner retired from acting in 2010. In more recent years she has helped to direct drama students, had a share in an antiques business, and volunteered with InterAct Stroke Support (a charity that allows actors to read to patients following a stroke).[1][2][3]
