Biography

Her parents, George and Anne were originally farmers in the Sacriston area of County Durham where she started her education at a village school and eventually attended Durham High School. Her family eventually gave up farming and became haulage contractors in Darlington where she then attended Darlington High School and then Yarm Grammar School where she had parts in school plays., The headmistress, who was very keen on drama encouraged her. While performing in one play she was seen by the aunt of director Anthony Asquith who recommended her to the Central School of Speech and Drama which she joined when 17. After training she made her theatre debut with the Ipswich Repertory Company and eventually her West End debut in 'Mr Kettle and Mr Moon' which was later followed by such as The Constant Wife, Ride a Cock Horse and Peter Pan.She later moved into television series, for which she became best known, such as Butterflies, Not in Front of the Children, And Mother Makes Three,Laura and Disorder and Nanny, which was based on her own idea .but submitted under a pen name so that it could be judged on it's own merit and not on her name. She has always liked writing and with knowing her characters she finds it very fulfilling and creative while acting is just interpretive. She's won numerous awards including Variety Club BBC TV Personality (69), Variety Club ITV TV Personality (73), TV Times Award for Funniest Woman on TV 72/73/74 and Variety Club Woman of the Year 84 and an Honorary Doctorate from Teeside University 94. She was married to journalist Jack Bentley, who died in 1994 and had two sons, Alastair, born 1957 who became an oboist with the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and Ross, born 1960 who is a writer. All this from seeing her first pantomime at 3 which made her determined to be on the stage.

- IMDb mini biography by: Tonyman 5

She was born in Sacriston but grew up at Picton near Yarm where her parents had a farm. The family later moved to Darlington where Wendy attended a High School later named as Hummersknott. In the 70's her mother lived in High Green, Mowden, Darlington.Wendy's brother, Allister owned a haulage company in Darlington.

- IMDb mini biography by: Tonyman 5

One of Wendy's first roles was that of Ophelia in a production of Hamlet in 1951, when she was 17, for the Middlesborough Little Theatre and which ran for ten performances. Wendy had been born in Sacriston, County Durham then her family moved to Picton near Yarm. After performing in Hamlet she went to London to study at the Central School of Speech and Drama .While being best remembered for her television roles in such series as Not in Front of the Children and Butterflies she also played the Matron in ITV's series The Royal between 2003 and 2011. While being best known for her television work she has made a few films such as The Secret Place ,The Servant, The Nanny and I'll Never Forget What's His Name opposite Bette Davis, Dirk Bogarde and Orson Wells

- IMDb mini biography by: Tonyman 5