Dame June Rosemary Whitfield (11 November 1925 – 29 December 2018)[a] was an English radio, television and film actress.

Whitfield's big break was a lead in the radio comedy Take It from Here, which aired on the BBC Light Programme in 1953.

In 1966, Whitfield played the leading role in the television sitcom Beggar My Neighbour, which ran for three series.

In 1951, she had her first credited television role in The Passing Show and joined the London cast of the musical South Pacific.

Her big break came in 1953 when she replaced Joy Nichols in the successful Frank Muir and Denis Norden radio comedy Take It from Here, co-starring Jimmy Edwards and Dick Bentley.

[3] During the next fifteen years Whitfield had many supporting roles on television, including in Dixon of Dock Green, Arthur's Treasured Volumes, The Arthur Askey Show, Faces of Jim, The Benny Hill Show, Steptoe and Son and Frankie Howerd.

June's daughter Suzy Aitchison would play the same role in the 2009 re-recording with Paul Merton portraying Tony Hancock.

During Scott On... she also appeared in The Best Things in Life, The Goodies, The Dick Emery Show, Bless This House and The Pallisers.

[10] During the eight-year run of Terry and June, Whitfield also appeared in It Ain't Half Hot Mum and Minder.

[3] In 1985, she sang a duet with Ian Charleson of the Irving Berlin song "You're Just in Love" in A Royal Night of One Hundred Stars.

She had an episode of The South Bank Show devoted to her on 29 July 2007 and, in the same year, appeared in the English National Opera's production of On the Town in London's West End.

[18] She reprised her role of Mother in two episodes of Absolutely Fabulous at Christmas 2011 – New Year 2012, and for an Olympic special on 23 July 2012.

In May 2015, Whitfield made a guest appearance in the BBC soap EastEnders as a nun called Sister Ruth[21] and returned to the show in January 2016 to complete a storyline.

[1][28][29] Her funeral was held at All Hallows Church in Tillington, near Petworth in West Sussex, on 18 January 2019, attended by many of her co-stars and personal friends.

[1] Fellow Absolutely Fabulous actress Jennifer Saunders paid tribute to the "extraordinary grace" of Whitfield and said she would "hugely" miss her "dear friend".

[30] Whitfield played Miss Marple in 12 BBC Radio 4 adaptations of novels by Agatha Christie.

She reprised the role in 2015, starring in three adaptations of Miss Marple short stories (Tape-Measure Murder, The Case of the Perfect Maid, and Sanctuary).