The entertainment world is saying goodbye to a familiar face from both screen and stage. In May 2025, the news broke about the passing of a former Coronation Street actress whose career stretched far beyond the cobbles.
From the Rovers to Royal Court
Barbara Ferris may have only appeared in Coronation Street for 10 episodes back in 1961, playing barmaid Nona Willis, but her early exit, partly due to struggling with the Lancastrian accent, didn’t stop her from making her mark elsewhere.
Prior to Corrie, Ferris was a featured regular on the pop show Cool for Cats, alongside stars such as Amanda Barrie and Una Stubbs.
However, it was her stint in Catch Us If You Can that set her on to fame. She was starred opposite The Dave Clark Five as Dinah. Remember? The fiery model who elopes with a stuntman!
On the stage, she played strong roles in Saved and A Chaste Maid in Cheapside at the Royal Court Theatre. She also played the lead roles in David Hare’s Slag, John Osborne’s Hedda Gabler, and Alan Ayckbourn’s, and Neil Simon’s plays.
Life After the Spotlight of the Coronation Street Star
Barbara’s final acting role was in The Krays, after which she retired from acting quietly to concentrate on family and travel. She married film producer John Quested and they had three children together. Born in London in 1939, Barbara was trained at Italia Conti and began working as a dancer and model.
She had a stunning family around her. One sister, Pam Ferris, achieved fame in Matilda and Call the Midwife, and another sister, Liz, won a diving medal at the Rome Olympics in 1960. Even in retirement, Barbara was still cherished by her friends and fans alike for her warmth, charm, and indelible presence.
Her colleagues recalled how she was gracious, witty, and professionally dedicated, someone who radiated light on each set she entered. Though her tenure on Coronation Street was short-lived, Barbara Ferris leaves a legacy of great richness on screen. For more tributes and soap news, stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily.
