Linda Regan (born 5 November 1949),[3] born Linda Mary Drinkwater, is a British actress and author, who has appeared on television, film, radio and on stage. She is best known for her role as yellowcoat April Wingate in the British holiday camp sitcom Hi-de-Hi!.
Born in Brixton, London, Regan is a daughter of bandleader and agent Peter Regan (born Peter Albert Drinkwater) and Phyllis McCormack, an Irish nurse; Regan's older sister is the actress and writer Carol Drinkwater.[4][2] They moved to Rochester, before settling in Bromley when Regan was five. Regan often helped her father while entertaining, such as helping with Punch and Judy and balloon modelling. After leaving school, Regan attended the Worcester Repertory Company.[5]
After appearances in Birds of a Feather, thriller Framed and hard hitting crime drama The Knock, Regan starred in five episodes of The Bill before appearing as Harry's mother in all 4 series of children's drama series Harry and Cosh from 1999 to 2003. She continues her career on both stage and screen, including Holby City, Doctors and Run for Your Wife, as well as appearing in several short films and commercials, and writing award-winning crime novels.[4] Regan was in two episodes of podcast sitcom Barmy Dale in 2023 and played alongside her husband Brian Murphy as the mayor of Barmy Dale Felicity Palmer[citation needed].
Personal life
Regan was married to actor Brian Murphy from 1995[7] until his death in 2025.[8] She had two stepsons from his previous marriage.[9]
She is dyslexic and was not encouraged at school but wrote stories from a young age. Just before her first book was published, in 2005, she was kidnapped at knifepoint and forced into a car, later jumping from the vehicle to escape. Soon after, she was diagnosed with cancer, which she believes was caused by her kidnap ordeal; she overcame the disease.[5]
A dog lover since childhood, Regan runs her own blog in which she communicates with other dog owners.[10]
1 2 Maxford, Howard (2018). Hammer Complete: The Films, the Personnel, the Company. McFarland. p.677. ISBN978-1476670072. She is married to the actor Brian Murphy (1932 - ), whom she wed in 1995... Her father is the bandleader and agent Peter Regan (real name Peter Albert Drinkwater) and her sister is the actress and writer Carol Drinkwater (1948 - ).
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