Felicity Kendal's Biography

Who is Felicity Kendal?

Felicity Kendal was born in Warwickshire on 25 September 1946, however she grew up in India as part of a family acting troupe.

According to her memoir, White Cargo, when she told her father she was leaving India to go to the UK, he replied: "You stupid little bugger. They won't appreciate you."

After arriving in London in 1965, Felicity Kendal found it difficult to get much acting work, but she joined the profit-share Actors' Company, and was cast along with Penelope Keith in Alan Ayckbourn's The Norman Conquests, and one day Richard Briers mentioned a TV series he'd been offered and this led to her being cast as his wife in it - and thus she landed the lead role of Barbara Good in the hugely popular 1970s BBC sitcom The Good Life.

As well as acting in The Good Life and other TV shows like Solo and The Mistress - both created by Carla Lane, Camomile Lawn, and Rosemary & Thyme; Felicity Kendal has also earned numerous plaudits for her work on the stage including winning the Variety Club Best Actress of the Year Award in 1979 for her role in Clouds.

Felicity Kendal's first husband was Drewe Henley.

She later married the director Michael Rudman and converted to Judaism.

They split and she started a relationship with Tom Stoppard, before getting back together again, years later, with Michael Rudman.

Her autobiography, White Cargo, was published in 1998.

Felicity Kendal, who is 5'2" tall, got a tattoo of a star on her foot when she was 63.

In 2010 Felicity Kendal was one of the celebrities on Strictly Come Dancing. She was paired with Vincent Simone.

Felicity Kendal and Vincent Simone were the seventh couple to be voted off the show.

Back to Top