A ROLE in a new television comedy managed to lure former Blackburn actress Madge Hindle back to the screen from the verge of retirement.

Madge said she could not resist the role in the new six-part ITV comedy Barbara, which starts on Sunday.

Gwen Taylor plays the title role in the series, about a sharp-tongued, no-nonsense Yorkshirewoman who works in a doctors' surgery. Madge plays Barbara's work colleague, Doreen.

Madge, a former Blackburn mayoress who used to live in Crosshill Road, Blackburn, found out about the role at her 60th birthday party last year - and admitted her "face fell" at the news.

She had already made a decision to leave acting - although she had not quite got round to telling her agent.

She said: "Television isn't the same as it used to be in the old days.

"The idea in my head was that I wouldn't do any more television, but would quite like to do theatre if I was asked - in a nice part. But then Barbara came along and I couldn't resist."

Her husband, former Blackburn solicitor Michael Hindle, knew Madge had enjoyed making a pilot for the series a while before, so encouraged her to take on the role.

Madge, who now lives in Settle, had worked mainly in the theatre since making the pilot.

She said: "I think I've only been down to London for work once. Michael and I were even thinking of giving up our London base." She hadn't met Gwen Taylor until they acted together in the pilot, but she had worked with Gwen's on-screen husband Sam Kelly in the theatre.

And the show also brought back memories of Madge's most famous role as Alf Robert's wife Renee in Coronation Street.

Madge spent four years behind the Street's corner shop from 1976 - a position later taken on by Sherrie Hewson, who plays Gwen Taylor's sister in Barbara.

Madge still has another connection with the Street - she is still friends with Thelma Barlow, who played Mavis in the soap, who lives nearby in North Yorkshire.

Madge is part of the "North Yorkshire theatrical mafia" which includes ITV chef Susan Brookes and Alan Bennett - and did include her late close friend and fellow Blackburnian Russell Harty. And she revels in life in the country.

"Now Michael is retired, we walk and entertain, and have a lovely life. I just love it, though I never thought I would," she said.

"I was fighting against going there from Blackburn, but Michael and Russell wanted it. But when I got there, I just didn't want to move.

"I love the atmosphere and the local people who are not the slightest bit impressed by whether you've been on television; that's so refreshing."

Barbara starts on June 27 at 8pm on ITV.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.