Felicity Montagu
Felicity Jane Montagu (born 12 September 1960) is an English actress. She is best known for playing Lynn Benfield, the long-suffering assistant of Alan Partridge, and Margo Martins in Beyond Paradise (2023–present).
Also recorded as Felicity Jane Montagu
Felicity Montagu

Mateusz Malta · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Birth Name
- Felicity Jane Montagu
- Born
- 12 September 1960
- Birthplace
- Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
- Occupation
- Actress
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Education
- Loughborough University
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Felicity Jane Montagu (born 12 September 1960) is an English actress. She is best known for playing Lynn Benfield, the long-suffering assistant of Alan Partridge, and Margo Martins in Beyond Paradise (2023–present).
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Note VALÉORINE
Felicity Montagu (born 1960) is an actress and film director, of British nationality. The actress was born in Leeds. Felicity Montagu was educated at Loughborough University. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 30 September 2026
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Birth Name — Felicity Jane Montagu • Born — 12 September 1960 • Birthplace — Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England • Occupation — Actress • Years Active — 1985–present • Children — 2
Early life
Early life
Montagu was born in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire in 1960. She is one of five children, and is a 6x great-granddaughter of Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester. She attended Loughborough University and the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.
Career
Career
Felicity Montagu has appeared in films and in television programmes. She appears on stage and does voice acting on radio. Her career began on stage after she graduated from drama school.
Television
Television
In 2004 and 2005, Montagu starred in the ITV comedy drama Doc Martin as Caroline Bosman, the radio presenter of Radio Portwenn. She played Lynn, the faithful but put-upon personal assistant in I'm Alan Partridge, and the vicar's wife Sue in Nighty Night. In 2006, she took the leading role of housewife and gang queen Barbara Du Prez in the comedy series Suburban Shootout. Her other television credits include Mapp & Lucia, The Bill, Lovejoy, Health and Efficiency, Wish Me Luck, Tumbledown, Harry Enfield's Television Programme, 2point4 Children, A Touch of Frost, My Life as a Popat, Johnny and the Bomb, Peak Practice, The Queen's Sister, Coogan's Run, Doc Martin, Lead Balloon, Alexei Sayle's Stuff, Skins, Hank Zipzer, M.I. High, The Durrells, The End of the F***ing World, Rab C. Nesbitt, and Sally4Ever. In 2020, she appeared as a contestant on Celebrity Masterchef. She has a role in the main cast in the series Beyond Paradise, a spin-off from the Death in Paradise series. Three series have aired, from 2023 to 2025. A fourth series is anticipated.
Theatre
Theatre
After graduating from drama school, Montagu was cast in the Terry Johnson play Unsuitable for Adults at the Bush Theatre. She went on to work at the Royal Court Theatre and the Royal National Theatre. After a long hiatus due to her screen work, Montagu returned to the stage when she starred as Melanie alongside Rowan Atkinson in the 2013 West End production of Quartermaine's Terms at Wyndham's Theatre. In 2017, she appeared at the Liverpool Playhouse in a stage adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice as Mrs Bennet, alongside Matthew Kelly as Mr Bennet.
Radio
Radio
Montagu has also been a regular voice on a range of comedy programmes on BBC Radio 4 since the mid-1980s. Her credits include Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, Delve Special, Ayres on the Air, Dial M For Pizza, Old Harry's Game, The Million Pound Radio Show, Revolting People, and No Commitments.
Personal life
Personal life
Montagu married Alan Nixon in 1984. They divorced in 2006. The couple have two children, Olivia and Luke. Felicity and Olivia worked together in 2016 in the BBC Radio 4 series Guilt Trip, in which they played a fictional mother and daughter.
Filmography
Filmography
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1985 — Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV — Anthea — Episode: "Episode #1.5" • 1985 — Coming Through — Jesse Chambers — TV film • 1986 — We'll Think of Something — Celia — Episode: "You Know Who Your Friends Are" • Who Dares Wins — Pregnant Woman — 2 episodes • 1987–1989 — Ffizz — Griselda — 12 episodes • 1988 — Tumbledown — Tricia — Television film • 1988 — This is David Lander — Linda Timson — Episode: "Reduced to Tears" • 1988–1989 — Alexei Sayle's Stuff — Various Roles — 7 episodes • 1989 — Norbert Smith, a Life — Cecilia Johanson — Television film • 1990 — Wish Me Luck — Nicole Dissard — 7 episodes • Harry Enfield's Television Programme — Thirties Player — Episode: "Episode #1.1" • 1991 — The Bill — Pearce — Episode: "Furthers" • Josie — Jacklyn — 2 episodes • Casualty — Karen Forrester — 2 episodes • Paul Merton: The Series — Various Characters — Episode: "Episode #1.6" • 1992 — Lovejoy — Deborah Frobisher — Episode: "Out to Lunch • 2Point4 Children — Janice — Episode: "I'm Going Slightly Mad" • Funny Business — Performer — Episode: "Visual Comedy" • 1993 — Bonjour la Classe — Parent 2 — Episode: "Red Card" • KYTV — Horsey Woman — Episode: "Get Away with You" • 1993–1995 — Health and Efficiency — Dr. Kate Russell — 12 episodes • 1994 — A Touch of Frost — Anne Butler — Episode: "Nothing to Hide" • The All New Alexei Sayle Show — Various Characters — Episode: "Episode #1.6" • 1995 — Coogan's Run — Florence Mullinger — Episode: "Handyman for All Seasons" • 1995–1998 — Smith & Jones — Various — 3 episodes • 1997 — Brass Eye — Dinner Party Guest (uncredited) — Episode: "Animals" • Holding the Baby — Jane — Episode: "Episode #1.6" • Hospital! — Sally — Television film • Harry Enfield and Chums — Woman in Cholmondeley-Warner Film — Episode: "Harry Enfield and Christmas Chums" • 1997–2002 — I'm Alan Partridge — Lynn Benfield — 12 episodes • 1998 — Hetty Wainthropp Investigates — Susan Dent — Episode: "Blood Relations" • Babes in the Wood — Sasha — Episode: "Christmas Special" • 1999 — All Along the Watchtower — Mrs. Carter — Episode: "Keeping the Peace" • Acts of Passion — Rosemary — Episode: "Hungry" • People Like Us — Various — Episode: "The Estate Agent" • 2000 — The Mrs Bradley Mysteries — Ruby Larkin — Episode: "The Rising of the Moon" • City Central — Jenny Wilson — Episode: "Everything Must Go" • Trust — Beth Simpson — Television film • Peak Practice — Marian Lowther — Episode: "On a Clear Day" • 2001 — Bridget Jones's Diary — Perpetua • Mr Charity — Mrs. Gilbert — Episode: "You and Whose Tsunami?" • Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible — Lavinia — Episode: "And Now the Fearing..." • 2003 — The Eustace Bros. — Ginny Topley — Episode: "Episode #1.5" • Blackball — Astronomer • The Crouches — Eileen — Episode: "Uncle Sonny" • Hear the Silence — Mary Watt — Television film • 2004–2005 — Nighty Night — Sue Forks — 10 episodes • 2004–2007 — My Life as a Popat — Ivy Saviour — 5 episodes • 2004–2013 — Doc Martin — Caroline Bosman — 7 episodes • 2005 — The Afternoon Play — Marjorie Goldblum — Episode: "The Singing Cactus" • Bremner, Bird and Fortune — Unknown — Episode: "Episode #7.6" • The Queen's Sister — Gillian Fleming — Television film • Planet Sketch — Various (voice) — 26 episodes • 2006 — Johnny and the Bomb — Mildred Seeley — 2 episodes • Uncle Dad — Mrs. Farquharson — Television series • My Family — Lydia — Episode: "Dentally Unstable" • Confetti — Vivian • 2006–2007 — Suburban Shootout — Barbara du Prez — 11 episodes • 2007 — I Want Candy — Val, Joe's Mum • Daphne — Director, 'September Tide' — Television film • 2008 — M.I. High — Big Sister/Mary Taylor — Episode: "Big Sister" • How to Lose Friends & Alienate People — Clipboard Nazi • 2009 — No Holds Bard — Paula Pickford — Television film • Off the Hook — Danny's Mum/Mrs. Gordon — 2 episodes • Outnumbered — Mrs. Bain — Episode: "The Robbers" • 2010 — Skins — Anne — Episode: "Emily" • The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret — Ms Whitehead — Episode: "The Snooker Player, the Black Canadian, the Turkish Terrorist, and the Peanut" • 2011 — North by Northamptonshire — Jan (voice) — Radio series • Lead Balloon — Libby — Episode: "Off" • Happy Clapper — Cath — Short film • Comedy Showcase — Meriel — Episode: "Chickens" • Chickens — Meriel — Episode: "Pilot" • Rab C. Nesbitt — Reverend Biddulph — Episode: "Stool" • 2011–2012 — Little Crackers — Mrs. Peters/Mrs. Phipps — 2 episodes • 2012 — Parents — Mary — Episode: "Episode #1.6" • Just Desserts — Carol — Short film • 2012–2013 — Watson & Oliver — Various — 2 episodes • 2013 — It's Kevin — Various — Episode: "Episode #1.2" • Playhouse Presents — Meg — Episode: "Stage Door Johnnies" • Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa — Lynn Benfield • You, Me & Them — Mags — Episode: "Three Dinners" • 2014 — The Slammer — Polly Meadows — Episode: "Polly Meadows" • The Boy in the Dress — Miss Price — Television film • Mapp & Lucia — Godiva "Diva" Plaistow — 3 episodes • 2014–2016 — Hank Zipzer — Miss Adolf — 38 episodes • 2015 — Funny Valentines — Isabel — Episode: "Last Chance" • Two Down — Mrs. Hannon • BBC Comedy Feeds — Joy — Episode: "Fishbowl" • 2016 — Dad's Army — Elizabeth Mainwaring • The Alan Dimension — Wendy (voice) — Short film • Brief Encounters — Joan — 5 episodes • Hank Zipzer's Christmas Catastrophe — Miss Adolf — Television film • 2016–2019 — The Durrells — Cousin Prue — 4 episodes • 2017 — Husk — Mother — Short film • Porridge — Caroline Hawley — Episode: "The Witness" • The End of the F***ing World — Jocelyn — Episode: "Episode #1.6" • Chinese Burn — Sue — Episode: "Pilot" • 2017-2018 — The Tunnel — Winnie Miles — 6 episodes • 2018 — Urban Myths — Paula Strasberg — Episode: "Marilyn Monroe and Billy Wilder" • Vanity Fair — Arabella Briggs — 4 episodes • Butterfly — Alice — 2 episodes • Zapped — Head Librarian — Episode: "Book" • Sally4Ever — Eleanor — 7 episodes • Death on the Tyne — Denise — Television film • It's Me, Sugar — Paula Strasberg — Short film • 2019 — The Road to Brexit — Jill Spiller — Television film • Lasagne — Betty — Short film • Four Weddings and a Funeral — Duffy's Mom — Episode: "New Jersey" • National Theatre Live: A Midsummer Night's Dream — Quince • 2019–2021 — This Time with Alan Partridge — Lynn Benfield — 12 episodes • 2020 — Resistance — Mrs. Garner (Emma's Mother) • Heart to Heart — Hen Holligan — Short film • Miss Marx — Helen Demuth • 2021 — The Announcement — Patricia — Short film • Censor — Valerie • Brassic — Lesley Anne — Episode: "Episode #3.1" • Landscapers — Patricia Wycherley — 3 episodes • 2022 — Sister Boniface Mysteries — Canoness Basil — Episode: "Lights, Camera, Murder!" • Hullraisers — Gloria — 2 episodes • The Train — Tina — 4 episodes • 2023 — Tom Jones — Bridget Allworthy — Episode: "Episode #1.1" • Black Ops — Superintendent Edwards — 6 episodes • 2023–present — Beyond Paradise — Margo Martins — 20 episodes • 2025 — Father Brown — Judith Skelton — Episode: "The Puzzle of Banburismus" • 2025 — Not Going Out — Yvonne — Episode: "Campervan" • 2025 — How Are You? It's Alan (Partridge) — Lynn Benfield — 6 episodes • 2025 — The Cadburys — Mary Brown

Felicity Montagu at MCM Comic Con London 23 May 2026
DavidPMaynard
Film
Montagu's reputation in comedy character parts was enhanced by her performance in Bridget Jones's Diary as Perpetua, Bridget's unpleasant colleague. She also appeared in the 2006 film Confetti as highly strung magazine editor Vivien Kay-Wylie. She appeared in the film I Want Candy in which she plays the mother of an ambitious teenager. She appeared in How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008). In 2013, she reprised her role as Lynn Benfield for the Alan Partridge film Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, and Mrs Mainwaring in the 2016 Dad's Army film. In 2016, Montagu reprised her role as Miss Adolf from the Hank Zipzer series in the TV movie Hank Zipzer's Christmas Catastrophe.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Felicity Montagu”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q5441797: Felicity Montagu
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Maltin, Leonard. Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide. Penguin. 275–. 2008-08-05. 9780452289789.
- 2.Felicity Montagu. BFI Film Forever.
- 3.Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency: Who's Who: Felicity Montagu. BBC Radio 4.
- 4.I Want Candy (2007) - Stephen Surjik | Cast and Crew. AllMovie.
- 5.'Alan and Lynn have magic together': Felicity Montagu on This Time with Alan Partridge. inews.co.uk. March 25, 2019.
- 6.Murphy, Amy. Dad's Army film: First photos of Catherine Zeta Jones, Toby Jones and Bill Nighy released. The Independent. 26 October 2014.
- 7.BAFTA Kids TV Preview: Hank Zipzer's Christmas Catastrophe. www.bafta.org. October 18, 2016.
- 8.Felicity Montagu. BFI.
- 9.Felicity Montagu. www.aveleyman.com.
- 10.Darvill, Josh. Celebrity MasterChef 2020 line up of celebrity contestants revealed. TellyMix. 28 June 2020.
- 11.Blight, Caroline. Beyond Paradise: Everything To Know About S4. TV Choice. 15 January 2026.
- 12.White, David. Beyond Paradise is taking a 'grittier' turn. BBC. 11 April 2025.
- 13.Felicity Montagu. TV Guide.
- 14.Groves, Nancy. Pride and Partridge: Felicity Montagu's comedy gold with Coogan and Austen. The Guardian. 15 September 2016.
- 15.Pride and Prejudice. Cambridge Live.
- 16.Toby Regbo, Harry Gilby and Jessica Barden lead cast for The Cadburys - the true story of the Cadbury family - with filming now underway in Birmingham. UKTV.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Film memorabilia
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