Biografía

She is a breast cancer survivor. Her first husband, actor Alec Ross, died of cancer in 1971 and her second husband, actor John Thaw, died of oesophageal cancer in 2002. She has been a spokesperson for Cancer BACUP.

Mother of actress Melanie Thaw, born 1964, (with first husband Alec Ross) and Joanna Thaw, born 1974, (with second husband John Thaw). When John Thaw married Hancock, he decided to adopt Melanie officially, which is why she bears his surname.

She was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1974 Queen's Birthday Honours List for her services to drama.

She was awarded Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2021 Queen's New Years Honours List for her services to Drama and to Charity. She is an actress in London, Greater London, England.

She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2011 Queen's New Years Honours List for her services to drama.

I know how to build a block of flats. I have watched them for hours building the foundations. I've watched bricks being laid, like Lego. I've seen workers sacked. There is always something to engross you in life.

I'm still learning how to enter a room on my own. From my dad to my first husband to my second husband, I've always had a man around. This week I went to a party at the National and going upstairs I met the designer Bob Crowley and asked him to hold my hand. But I always had John's hand in mine. We thought we were going off into the sunset together.

The public are amazing. I know I can't over value it because it's not as real as one's friends love, but it's deeply touching and I was very grateful for it.

[on accepting the CBE and being a devout Quaker] They said it was fine because it was for my work and it was earned.

I know people who get called national treasures who are vile.