Maggie Steed

Maggie Steed (born Margaret Baker in Plymouth on 1st December 1946) made her television debut when she appeared in Coronation Street as gypsy Ellen Smith in October 1970 (credited as "Margaret Steed"). She had studied drama at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School but gave up the profession for several years in the 1970s as she was unable to find roles and worked as a secretary instead.

When, in her own words, she had "grown up politically", she joined the Coventry Belgrade Theatre with Clive Russell and Sue Johnston and after returning to television roles came thick and fast with parts in Fox, Brideshead Revisited, The Young Ones, Lipstick on Your Collar, Martin Chuzzlewit, Red Dwarf, The Ruth Rendell Mysteries, Sensitive Skin, Casualty  and regular starring parts in Shine on Harvey Moon, Pie in the Sky, Born and Bred and Jam & Jerusalem.

Films roles include parts in The History Man and The Painted Veil while stage work includes productions of The Importance of Being Earnest, Relative Values, The History Boys, Noises Off and Hay Fever