Career
She is known for her roles as Amy Pearce in the sitcom Duty Free (1984-1986). Barbara Liversidge in the sitcom Barbara (1999–2003). Peggy Armstrong in the drama series Heartbeat (2005-2009), and Anne Foster in the soap opera Coronation Street (2011-2012).
She was nominated for the 1990 British Academy of Film and Television Arts television Award for Best Actress for her role as Rita Simcock in the comedy series A Bit of a Do (1989).
Her film appearances include Monty Python"s Life of Brian (1979) and The Lady in the Van (2015). Taylor was born in Derby.
Her initial career was in banking, but when she was an assistant area manager for the National Provincial Bank in Derby she became increasingly interested in amateur dramatics. Her first professional acting role was as a Green Bean in "Jack and the Beanstalk" at the Derby Playhouse.
Gwen Taylor trained at East 15 Acting School, London.
She played Pamela Dean, the sister of the murder victim Victor Dean, in Murder Must Advertise (1973), and later in the 1970s, she was one of the regulars on Eric Idle"s Rutland Weekend Television. She also appeared in other Monty Python spin-offs such as The Life of Brian and Ripping Yarns, and as Chastity and Mistress Mountbatten in the Beatles parody The Rutles.
On The Rutles Digital Video Disc commentary Eric Idle described her as "the best comedy actress I ever worked with.
She could do anything". However, she turned down a role in The Meaning of Life as she thought that being covered in intestines as a man exploded in a restaurant would be "tasteless".
In 1990 she was nominated for a Bafta television award in the best actress category for her role in A Bit of a Do opposite David Jason. Between 2005 and 2009 she played the role of Peggy Armstrong in the drama Heartbeat.
In July 2011 it was announced that Gwen Taylor would be joining the cast of Coronation Street, playing Anne, the mother of Frank Foster.
In November 2012 she appeared with Don Warrington in the stage version of Driving Mission Daisy on a United Kingdom-wide tour. Gwen Taylor is married to the playwright Graham Reid. They live in London.