Jean Boht, known for her role as Nellie Boswell in the sitcom “Bread,” died on Wednesday at the age of 91.
The actress, who struggled with dementia before her death on September 12, played the family’s outspoken matriarch – a character known for the recurring catchphrase “She’s a bitch!”
The hugely popular show was set in the heart of Liverpool and documented the mixed fortunes of the working-class Boswell family during a period of mass unemployment in the 1980s.
Jean lived at the prestigious actor retirement home Denville Hall in Hillingdon, northwest London, her family said in a statement, expressing “grateful thanks” to the staff who “made her so comfortable.”
So who was Jean Boht? Here Web takes a look into the life of Bread’s biggest star.
Star: Jean Boht, known for her role as Nellie Boswell in the sitcom “Bread,” died on Wednesday at the age of 91
On screen: The actress, who struggled with dementia before her death on September 12, played the honest matriarch of the family. Here Web takes a closer look at her life
Who was Jean Boht?
Jean was born on March 6, 1932 in Bebington, Merseyside.
She began her career as a £1 a week student at the Liverpool Playhouse and then moved to the Bristol Old Vic and Manchester Companies.
Jean then returned to Liverpool to play alongside Sir Anthony Hopkins, Lynda La Plante and Sir Patrick Stewart.
Jean moved to London in 1964, just as the West End was welcoming actors with regional accents.
She moved to London in 1964, just as the West End was welcoming actors with regional accents.
She has also performed at the Royal Court, the National Theater and the Chichester Festival, as well as numerous West End theaters.
Her film roles included appearances in The Girl In A Swing, Bad Night For The Blues and Mothers And Daughters.
However, she is best known for her role in the series Bread, created by Carla Lane.
The show, which ran from 1986 to 1991, was watched by more than 20 million people at its peak and Boht won a British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actress.
Set in the Dingle district of Liverpool, Bread follows the ups and downs of the working-class Boswell family. It’s arguably Lane’s best television creation.
In her role as head of the family, Boht’s character was often seen opening a chicken-shaped egg holder before dinner into which her children would insert money for their upkeep.
She also spent time fighting to keep her estranged husband from ending up in the arms of “that whore” Lilo Lil.
At its peak, Bread had 21 million viewers, more than Coronation Street.
Famous: Jean (center) is seen with the other stars of the sitcom Bread in 1990
Love: Jean married Carl Davis in 1970. The couple had two children and three grandchildren (pictured together in Los Angeles in 2014).
Married: The conductor and composer behind shows including the 1995 BBC production Pride and Prejudice died in August aged 86, weeks before Jean (pictured in London in 2016).
Was Jean married and did she have children?
Jean married Carl Davis in 1970. The couple had two children and three grandchildren.
Carl worked alongside Paul McCartney on his Liverpool Oratorio and conducted the premiere in 1991.
His extensive catalog of work, which includes five musicals and numerous ballet scores – “Christmas Carol”, “Cyrano” and “Alice in Wonderland” are all currently touring – earned him a CBE.
The couple lived in Chelsea in a four-story 18th-century townhouse with a former factory in the garden, which they converted into a studio and offices for Carl’s company.
The conductor and composer behind shows such as the 1995 BBC production Pride and Prejudice died in early August at the age of 86, just weeks before Jean.