Eileen Derbyshire – 89

Except for the forgettable 1969 TV movie All Star Comedy Carnival, the retired English actress Eileen Derbyshire was a one-role performer. She portrayed Emily Bishop, from Coronation Street, between 1961 and 2016, the year of her retirement. She’s the longest-serving female cast member in the history of British soap operas.

A former speech and drama teacher, Derbyshire interrupted her retirement to make a brief 2019 comeback to Coronation Street. Since then, she’s never been on camera again. In 2021, Derbyshire sadly lost her husband of 56 years, Thomas W. Holt. She’s the mother of the English sports journalist Oliver Holt.