Linda Bassett was born in the Kentish village of Pluckley - location for the television series The Darling Buds of May (1991). She was brought up in Pimlico, South London, by her typist mother and police officer father. She became interested in acting as a child when she was frequently taken to see plays in London, most notably at the Old Vic, the famous classical theater. On leaving school, Linda went to work at the Old Vic as an usherette and catering manager, before going to read English at Leeds University. However, she dropped out after a year and became involved in a local drama group which put on plays in community-based locations, such as schools. She regards this as her theatrical schooling, having had no formal training. She made her London stage debut at the age of 32 in 1982 and, in 1991, joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. Although she was a well-regarded stage performer, it was the 1999 film version of the play East Is East (1999) (in which she had been an original stage cast member) which brought her to a larger audience and, throughout the 2000s, she has been a familiar face in a variety of films and television series. In the late 1980s, she returned to live in Pluckley.
2023The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry as Queenie
2018Careful How You Go as Unknown
2017Strike (4 Episodes) as Joan Nancarrow
2017Carnage: Swallowing the Past as Dr Yasmine Vondenburg
2014Effie Gray as Anna
2013National Theatre Live: People as Iris
2013Spies of Warsaw (2 Episodes) as Malka Rosen
2012The Life and Adventures of Nick Nickleby (5 Episodes) as Mrs. Smike
2012Call the Midwife (79 Episodes) as Phyllis Crane
2010West Is West as Ella Khan
2010Grandma's House (12 Episodes) as Grandma
2008The Reader as Ms. Brenner
2008Lark Rise to Candleford (40 Episodes) as Queenie Turrill
2008Cass as Doll
2008Sense and Sensibility (3 Episodes) as Mrs. Jennings
2005The English Harem as Monica Pringle
2005Colour Me Kubrick as Trolley Lady
2005Separate Lies as Maggie
2005Kinky Boots as Mel
2004Spivs as Auntie Vee
2004The Brief (8 Episodes) as Maureen Tyler
2003Calendar Girls as Cora
2003This Little Life as Nurse Nina
2002The Hours as Nelly Boxall
2001The Martins as Anthea
2000Don Quixote as Housekeeper
2000Lounge Act as Unknown
1999Beautiful People as Sister
1999East Is East as Ella Khan
1998dinnerladies (1 Episode) as Peggy
1998Far from the Madding Crowd as Maryann Money
1998Spoonface Steinberg as Mrs. Spud
1998Our Mutual Friend (4 Episodes) as Unknown
1998The Life and Crimes of William Palmer as Mary Thornton
1997Oscar and Lucinda as Betty Stratton
1997Midsomer Murders (1 Episode) as Eileen Carnack
1996Alive and Kicking as Doctor
1996No Bananas (10 Episodes) as Ellen Slater
1996Mary Reilly as Mary's Mother
1995Haunted as Madame Brontski
1995Loved Up as Mum
1995Bramwell (1 Episode) as Maud
1995A Village Affair as Gwen
1995Kavanagh Q.C. (1 Episode) as Miss Haddon QC
1994In The Cold Light Of Day as Mrs. Loveless
1994Skallagrigg as Susan
1993Frank Stubbs Promotes (1 Episode) as Eileen
1992A Touch of Frost (1 Episode) as Unknown
1992Heartbeat (1 Episode) as Beryl Palmer
1991A Small Dance as Sandra Matkin
1991Let Him Have It as Mrs. Miles
1990News Hounds as Virginia Lyddon
1989Paris by Night as Janet Swanton
1987Waiting for the Moon as Gertrude Stein
1986Casualty (1 Episode) as Olwyn Humphries
1984The Bill (1 Episode) as Unknown
1983Dramarama (1 Episode) as Unknown