Elizabeth graduates from the Woolpack

Emmerdale’s landlady Diane Sugden has battled cancer for several months. However, the actress who plays Diane in the ITV1 soap, Stockton-born Elizabeth Estensen, has reason to celebrate. For she is to receive an Honorary Master of Arts degree from the University of Teesside.

Elizabeth will receive her Masters degree with four leading figures from the arts, health and local government, at 11am on Friday 26 November. They will be awarded their degrees in a special ceremony at Middlesbrough Town Hall by the University’s Chancellor, the Rt Hon The Lord Brittan of Spennithorne. This will be Lord Brittan’s last ceremony as Chancellor, after serving 12 years in the role. The Honorary Graduates’ ceremony forms the finale of this year’s graduation celebrations. Elizabeth said: “When I received the letter saying I’d been nominated for the degree I felt flattered, flushed with pleasure. It was completely unexpected. I think Diane would be gob smacked to be awarded a degree!”

In addition to her current Emmerdale role, Elizabeth is also familiar to TV audiences as Carol Boswell in the 1970’s sitcom The Liver Birds. Other TV appearances include the children’s TV series T-Bag, Casualty and Coronation Street. Her diverse stage work includes a year in London’s West End as Shirley Valentine.

The other Honorary Graduands are:

Antony Gormley OBE, Doctor of Letters – the highly eminent sculptor and installation artist is the creator of Gateshead’s the Angel of the North, which was fabricated in the Tees Valley. Antony was awarded the Turner Prize in 1994 and an OBE in 1998.

Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, Doctor of Science - Teesside-born, Sir Liam has been the Department of Health’s Chief Medical Officer since 1998. He was previously Regional Director and Director of Public Health, Northern and Yorks NHS Executive.

Andrew Lomas, Master of Arts - is Head of Computer Graphics at ESC Entertainment in Los Angeles, and a University of Teesside graduate (MSc Computer-Aided Graphical Technology Applications). He was Computer Graphics (CG) Supervisor on the 2003 film Matrix Revolutions. Previous work includes the landmark TV series Walking with Dinosaurs. Hazel Pearson OBE, Master of Laws - Chair of Middlesbrough College, Acklam Grange School and Kader Primary School in Middlesbrough. Hazel has served as a Middlesbrough Councillor for 33 years and awarded the Freedom of Middlesbrough last year.

Elizabeth Estensen will be returning home to the Tees Valley to receive her degree, as she was born in Fairfield, Stockton-on-Tees and lived in Stockton until she was 18. Her on-screen Emmerdale character speaks with a Stockton accent. Elizabeth said: “When I joined Emmerdale the then producer didn’t want me to use a Liverpool accent like I’d used in The Liver Birds. In thirty years I’d never been required to play anybody from the North-East, and I thought of a Stockton accent for Diane. Newcastle gets a lot of recognition, but people haven’t heard of Stockton.”

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