Eileen Derbyshire – 89

If it weren’t for Eileen Derbyshire, we doubt Coronation Street fans would’ve loved the role of Emily Bishop as much. After all, she played the character for 55 years (1961-2016). Her time in the long-running ITV show has made her the longest-serving woman cast member in any British TV soap opera.

Because of her lengthy acting career, Derbyshire was appointed an MBE in the Queens Birthday Honours list of 2010. The 89-year-old star is a mother of one, and sports journalist Oliver Holt is her son. Thomas W. Holt, her husband since 1965, passed away in February 2021.