11 Facts About Diana Coupland

Betty Diana Coupland, billed as Diana Coupland, was an English actress and singer, best remembered for her role, which she played from 1971 to 1976, in the sitcom Bless This House, as Jean Abbott, wife of Sid James's character Sid.

Diana Coupland originally wanted to be a ballet dancer but could not fulfil this ambition, owing to a horse-riding accident.

Diana Coupland became a leading singer of the 1940s and 1950s, working at the Dorchester Hotel and the Savoy Hotel.

Diana Coupland reprised the role in the 1972 feature film, and continued in the role until James died in 1976.

Diana Coupland appeared in several other films, including The Millionairess, The Family Way, Charlie Bubbles, Spring and Port Wine, The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer, The Best Pair of Legs in the Business and Operation Daybreak.

Diana Coupland dubbed the singing voices of actresses who could not sing, including Lana Turner in Betrayed, and was the playback singer for Ursula Andress's dubbed performance of the song "Underneath the Mango Tree" in the first James Bond film Dr No Diana Coupland gave up professional singing in the 1960s.

Diana Coupland's casting in Triangle occurred after the death of the actor originally due to play the owner of the shipping line.

Diana Coupland had been on the set with her husband, a director on the programme, and was offered the part.

Diana Coupland appeared in an episode of One Foot in the Grave in 1992, and in 2000 had a six-week role as Maureen Carter in EastEnders.

Diana Coupland married, secondly, to Marc Miller, a producer, in 1980.

Diana Coupland, who was a patron of National Lupus UK, died at the University Hospital in Coventry in November 2006, aged 78, after failing to recover following an operation to resolve long-term heart problems.