Beatie Edney

Beatrice Edney (born 23 October 1962) is an English television actress.

Born in London, she is the daughter of actress Sylvia Syms and her husband Alan Edney.[1] Her brother is Benjamin Edney and her cousin is musician Nick Webb. Edney first came to audiences' attention as Heather MacLeod in the 1986 film Highlander, the first entry in the Highlander series.[2] She returned to the role again in the 2000 film Highlander: Endgame.

In 1987, Edney performed the title role in the television production of The Dark Angel with Peter O'Toole. In 1990, she appeared in the Bruce Beresford film Mister Johnson, alongside Pierce Brosnan and Edward Woodward.

Her many television appearances include a leading role in the 1986 television series Lost Empires, based on the novel by J. B. Priestley, in which she acted alongside Colin Firth. She has also appeared in episodes of a host of successful British television dramas such as Rosemary & Thyme, A Touch of Frost, Prime Suspect, Inspector Morse (and its spin-off, Lewis), Agatha Christie's Poirot (in the episode "The Mysterious Affair at Styles") and Wallander. In 1994, Edney played the role of Louisa Gradgrind in the television adaptation of Charles Dickens' Hard Times.[3] In 1995, she had a starring role in the Channel 4 sitcom Dressing for Breakfast.

In 2012, she played Queen Charlotte in The Madness of King George III at the Apollo Theatre, London. Other stage appearances have included The Girlfriend Experience at the Royal Court.[4]

Edney played the leading role of Prudie in the BBC's 2015 revival of Poldark. In 2019, she caused controversy by accusing the BBC of ageism for not inviting her to a première, but she later apologised, saying there had been a "mix-up".[5]