Pauline Collins, the beloved British actress best known for her roles in Shirley Valentine and Upstairs, Downstairs, has died at the age of 85. The star passed away on 5 November 2025, having lived quietly with Parkinson's disease for several years. Her family confirmed the news in a statement, describing her as a 'loving mum, our wonderful grandma and great-grandma' and a 'life-long love' of her husband, actor John Alderton.
Collins, who married Alderton in 1969 and had three children with him – Nicholas, Kate and Richard – also leaves behind a daughter, Louise Rohr, whom she gave up for adoption in 1964. The actress was just 22 at the time and kept the pregnancy secret from family and friends. In her 1992 memoir, Letter to Louise, Collins described the decision as 'awful' and 'like having a piece of your heart ripped out'.
In the memoir, Collins wrote: 'I had her adopted when she was six weeks old. It was the most awful thing ever to do. It's extraordinary how you make these decisions in life. I thought my reasons for doing so were good.' She explained that her parents were teachers at Catholic schools and she had no money to support the child. She also feared that an illegitimate daughter would face stigma, whereas a boy might be seen as 'romantic'.
Collins and Louise reconnected in 1986, 22 years after the adoption, when Louise sent a letter. Collins said she was 'absolutely delighted' and had dreamed of her daughter three days before. She later put Louise in touch with her birth father, Irish actor Tony Rohr. Collins chose to write the memoir after discovering journalists were researching her story, telling The Guardian in 2012: 'I know that story – and they don't. So that's the reason.'
