Jean Boht, Star of BBC Sitcom ‘Bread,’ Dies at 91
Jean Boht, the beloved star of long-running BBC sitcom “Bread” (1986-1991) died on Sept. 12. She was 91.
Boht’s family issued a statement on social media, saying: “It is with overwhelming sadness that we must announce that Jean Boht passed away yesterday Tuesday 12 September. Jean had been battling Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease with the indefatigable spirit for which she was both beloved and renowned.” She was a resident at Denville Hall, the home for members of the theatrical profession.
Boht’s husband Carl Davis, the BAFTA-winning composer of “The French Lieutenant’s Woman,” died in August.
Boht trained at the Liverpool Playhouse and embarked on a career as a theater actor. Her television credits include “Softly, Softly” (1971), “Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em” (1978), “Grange Hill” (1978), “Last of the Summer Wine” (1978), “Boys from the Blackstuff” (1982), “Scully” (1984) and “Juliet Bravo” (1981-83). In 1993, Boht was one of the stars in “Brighton Belles,” the British remake of hit U.S. series “The Golden Girls.” She also performed several roles on BBC’s “Doctors” between 2000 and 2012.
The actor is best known for her role as Nellie Boswell in “Bread.” At its peak, the show was watched by 26 million viewers each week and in 1991, Boht won a British Comedy Award for best TV comedy actress. After the series ended, Boht toured the U.K. with the stage show “Bread – The Final Slice.”
Among her film roles, Boht was in Terence Davies’ Cannes-winning “Distant Voices, Still Lives” (1988).
Boht is survived by two daughters and three grandchildren.
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