Anita Carey, who appeared in UK soaps Coronation Street and Doctors, has passed away at the age of 75 – 13 years on from being diagnosed with breast cancer
Anita Carey has died at the age of 75 following a 13-year period of living alongside a breast cancer diagnosis. The Yorkshire born actress was best known for her roles on British soaps Coronation Street and Doctors. The late actress reportedly passed away on July 19, after first being diagnosed with cancer in 2010.
The mum-of-two continued to work on stage and appear on TV shows in the United States following the diagnosis over a decade ago. Anita’s biggest roles in UK TV saw the former soap star play Joyce Smedley on ITV’s Coronation Street between 1996 and 1997 and enjoying a two-year stint on BBC show Doctors from 2007, winning an award for her portrayal of receptionist Vivien March in the BBC soap opera in 2009.
Prior to appearing in soaps, Anita was a regular face on TV comedies but made a leap into a more dramatic role in the 1970s, when she made her first cameo on the cobbled streets of Weatherfield. The mum-of-two enjoyed a short run on the ITV soap in 1978, taking on the role of Brenda Summers, a victim of domestic violence, who was befriended by Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire).
Anita returned to the soap a decade later as Joyce Smedley, mum of Gaynor Faye’s character Judy Mallett. Despite enjoying several storylines during her second stunt on the long-running soap, Anita’s character departed Weatherfield during then new Coronation Street producer Brian Park brutal casting cull.