{{Short description|English actress and writer (1948–2017)}} {{Infobox person | name = Sara Coward | image = Sara Coward_resize.jpg | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1948|01|30|df=yes}} | birth_place = Eltham, London, England, UK | death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|02|12|1948|01|30|df=yes}} | death_place = Warwickshire, England, UK | other_names = | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1972–2016 | known_for = Caroline Sterling in ''The Archers'' }}
'''Sara Coward''' (30 January 1948 – 12 February 2017) was an English actress and writer.<ref name=":0" /> She was known for her role as Caroline Sterling in the BBC Radio 4 soap opera ''The Archers''.
== Early life and career == Coward was born and raised in Eltham, south-east London and attended the girls' grammar school in the area before reading English and Drama at Bristol University and then studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. While she was performing the role of Lady Macbeth in repertory theatre, Vanessa Whitburn, a producer from ''The Archers'' saw her and offered her the role of Caroline Bone, as the character was originally known.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/sara-coward-0550cpdbf|title=Sara Coward|work=The Times|date=16 February 2017|access-date=16 February 2017}} {{subscription required}}</ref>
Coward first appeared in ''The Archers'' in 1977, and was a regular from 1979 until September 2016.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/13/sara-coward-star-archers-dies-69/|title=Sara Coward, star of The Archers, dies at 69|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=13 February 2017|accessdate=14 February 2017}}</ref> She also appeared in the TV productions ''Inspector Morse'', ''Hetty Wainthropp Investigates'' and ''Rumpole of the Bailey''.<ref name="Express">{{Cite web|url=http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/739502/Sara-Coward-smile-campaign-dying-cancer-archers-star|title=Dying Archers star Sara Coward launches 'smile' campaign from her hospice bed|work=Daily Express|first=Lynn|last=Greaves|date=4 December 2016|accessdate=14 February 2017}}</ref>
== Death == Coward was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013.<ref name=Express/> She underwent a mastectomy; however, a lump was found in her neck afterwards and she was further diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2016.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/feb/13/the-archers-actor-sara-coward-caroline-sterling-dies-at-69|title=The Archers actor Sara Coward dies at 69|work=The Guardian|agency=Press Association|date=13 February 2017|accessdate=16 February 2017|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> During her last weeks, Coward launched a campaign named SM:)E ("smile") to encourage people to be friendly and kind to each other.<ref name="Express" />
Sara Coward died on 12 February 2017 in a Warwickshire hospice, at the age of 69.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2017/02/13/sara-coward-caroline-archers-obituary/|title=Sara Coward, Caroline in The Archers – obituary|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=13 February 2017|accessdate=14 February 2017}}</ref>
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |1972 |''New Scotland Yard'' |Sandra Williams |Episode: "Ask No Questions" |- |1987 |''Inspector Morse'' |Lynn |Episode: "The Wolvercote Tongue" |- |1992 |''Rumpole of the Bailey'' |Elspeth Dodds |Episode: "Rumpole and the Reform of Joby Jonson" |- |1997 |''Hetty Wainthropp Investigates'' |Receptionist |Episode: "Daughter of the Regiment" |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|1048125}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Coward, Sara}} Category:1948 births Category:2017 deaths Category:Actresses from London Category:Actors from the Royal Borough of Greenwich Category:English radio actresses Category:English stage actresses Category:English television actresses Category:Deaths from breast cancer in England Category:People from Eltham