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Barbara Flynn: From ‘Beyond Paradise’ Health Scare to ‘Doctor Who’ Villain and Jewellery Designer
The popular drama series Beyond Paradise recently returned to television screens featuring its well-loved cast, including Barbara Flynn, who portrays Anne Lloyd. In the detective show, Flynn plays the mother of Martha (portrayed by Sally Bretton), and in a recent episode, her character experiences a worrying health scare after discovering a suspicious mole, adding a dramatic twist to her storyline.
A Career Spanning Decades: From ITV to Doctor Who
Despite viewers primarily knowing her from current roles, Barbara Flynn is a seasoned actress with a career that commenced in the 1970s on ITV‘s ‘A Family at War‘. Her extensive career also encompasses multiple appearances in the Doctor Who universe, portraying three distinct characters across different iterations of the iconic Time Lord.
Early Doctor Who Roles
Flynn’s initial foray into the Doctor Who world began in 2007 with The Eighth Doctor Adventures, an audio series derived from the original television program. In ‘The Skull of Sobek‘, she provided the voice for the Croc Trooper.
The Villainous Tecteun
Later, the 76-year-old actress featured in the 2021 television series of Doctor Who as the antagonistic character Tecteun. This formidable figure aimed to eradicate the universe and ultimately kidnapped the Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker.
- Flynn appeared in two episodes as Tecteun: ‘Once Upon Time‘ and ‘Survivors of the Flux‘.
Returning to Doctor Who Audio
In the following year, Flynn revisited the renowned franchise, this time returning to the audio drama series in ‘Secrets of Telos‘, where she voiced Professor Vansom, further cementing her connection to the Doctor Who legacy.
Jewellery Design: A Creative Hobby Turned Business
Away from her successful acting profession, Barbara Flynn has revealed an unexpected pastime: a thriving jewellery business.
From Hobby to Business Venture
During a television appearance on ‘This Morning‘ alongside her Beyond Paradise co-star Sally Bretton, Flynn shared details about her creative pursuit.
Presenter Dermot O’Leary, referencing Cornwall, where Beyond Paradise is filmed, inquired about Flynn’s craftwork: “Cornwall, what a great place. I mean, Barbara, you do some Cornish craft, don’t you? Some jewellery?”
Inspired by Cornwall
Flynn explained that her jewellery making began as a hobby inspired by the Cornish landscape: “I did spend a lot of time going down to West Penwith, which is the westernmost point of England, up to Penzance and that area. Really rocky, beautiful, bleak, wonderful.”
She further elaborated on the evolution of her craft: “[The business] started as a hobby and then turned into a business. And the first costume designer was very supportive and suggested using my pieces in the show,” indicating the professional recognition of her artistic talent.