Paula Tilbrook death: Emmerdale legend who played Betty Eagleton dies aged 89

Lancashire-born actor was a regular fixture on the soap opera for 21 years, playing a village gossip

Paula Tilbrook, who portrayed Betty Eagleton on Emmerdale, has died at the age of 89.

Tilbrook died on 1 December, 2019, with her death only being publicly announced in an obituary published today (15 July) by acting industry newspaper The Stage.

Tilbrook played Betty, a village gossip and lover of sherry, on the long-running soap from 1994 until 2015. Her character departed the series after finding love and moving to Australia.

Her departure from Emmerdale coincided with her retirement from acting, with Inside Soap declaring her “funny, feisty and smart as a whip,” adding: “They don’t make ’em like actress Paula Tilbrook any more!”

Born in Salford, Lancashire in 1930, Tilbrook started out in regional theatre. She worked in plays performed at venues including Manchester’s Library Theatre, Nottingham Playhouse and the Oldham Coliseum, before finding work on television.

Tilbrook’s TV credits include Coronation Street, Brookside and Last of the Summer Wine, as well as Mike Leigh’s 1973 TV film Hard Labour.

On the big screen, she appeared in films including Yanks (1979), Wetherby (1985) and A Private Function (1984).