Alert – Roberta Taylor reveals what it’s like working with husband Peter Guinness in heartwarming video prior to her tragic death

A heartwarming resurfaced video of Roberta Taylor shows the late actress opening up about what it was like to work with her husband Peter Guinness.

Roberta, who passed away on July 6 aged 76, was best known for her role as Irene Raymond in EastEnders from 1997 to 2000, before joining the cast of The Bill as Inspector Gina Gold.

According to Roberta’s obituary published in The Guardian, the soap star died ‘from an infection caused by a fall two months prior, agitating her underlying health problems with pneumonia’. 

The actress married her second husband and fellow actor Peter Guinness, 74, in 1996 – he is best known for his roles in Jack Ryan, Merlin, Official Secrets and Alien 3, and the couple lived together in Vauxhall, London.

Their overlapping careers meant that the pair worked on some projects together, including The Bill and a run of Hamlet at Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre nine years ago, where they played Gertrude and Claudius.

A heartwarming resurfaced video of Roberta Taylor shows the late actress opening up about what it was like to work with her husband Peter Guinness 

Peter is best known for his roles in Jack Ryan, Merlin, Official Secrets and Alien 3, and the couple lived together in Vauxhall, London (pictured together in 2010)

Now, a joint interview the duo did while performing the show is resurfacing as fans pay tribute to Roberta.

The late actress has also left behind her son Elliott, who she shares with her former spouse, a granddaughter and two stepbrothers.

In the clip, the married couple were asked what it’s like to work together as a ‘husband and wife team’.

Roberta revealed that they had fun being in the same profession but they were always mindful of their other castmates, so they selflessly avoided looking like too much of a ‘unit’.

The interviewer remarked: ‘Because some husbands and wives in theatre work together all the time and some absolutely avoid it, but you’ve struck a middle path haven’t you? You work together sometimes but not always.’

Roberta smiled and admitted: ‘We have quite a laugh together. I think it’s potentially harder for other cast members to think of, maybe a tight unit coming in or whatever.

‘So we don’t do any work at home together other than if we’re reading out scripts and I’ll go: “Did the players come in there? Am I after?”

She explained: ‘We’ll only discuss plot not action because I think that’s for your own head and the rehearsal room when it’s all shared. 

The actress married her second husband and fellow actor Peter Guinness (right) in 1996

Their overlapping careers meant that the pair worked on some projects together, including The Bill (pictured in 2007) and a run of Hamlet at Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre nine years ago 

Roberta revealed that they had fun being in the same profession but they were always mindful of their other castmates (pictured together in 2006)

‘So we try not to look like a unit other than the King and Queen when we’re in the rehearsal room.’ 

In response to the heartbreaking news of Roberta’s passing, an EastEnders spokesperson said: ‘We’re deeply saddened to hear that Roberta Taylor has passed away. 

‘Roberta made an impact on screen from the moment she arrived in Albert Square, as Irene Raymond. 

‘Roberta will be remembered fondly by everyone that worked with her. Our love and thoughts go to her family and friends.’ 

Her last TV appearance came on the BBC private investigators comedy Shakespeare & Hathaway. 

Her EastEnders stint began in 1997, when she arrived in Walford as the matriarch of the Hills family, visiting her children  Sarah (Daniela Denby-Ashe) and Tony (Mark Homer).

During her three-year stint on the soap, Roberta’s character Irene had a string of love interests, including Terry Raymond (Gavin Richards), as well as a steamy affair with her lodger Troy Harvey (Jamie Jarvis).

Roberta died after an infection caused by a fall (pictured on the ITV drama The Bill as Inspector Gina Gold)

In response to the heartbreaking news, an EastEnders spokesperson said: ‘We’re deeply saddened to hear that Roberta Taylor has passed away’

After three years in EastEnders, Roberta decided to leave the soap, and told The Mirror at the time: ‘I was always thinking, ‘When can I learn my lines?’ I gave over much of my life to the show and if I was to carry on at such a pace I’d have to continue to put my life on hold. 

‘I didn’t want to do things at half-cock […] I had a lot of fun playing Irene, and Gavin, who plays my screen husband Terry, and I got on brilliantly. 

‘Irene was a complicated lady. I never knew what was going to happen next, but that’s what life is like. We worked hard at our characters. People thought we were comical but actually there was a lot of sarcasm.’ 

Roberta also had roles in dramas such as Silent Witness, Inspector Morse and Doctors.

News of Roberta’s death sparked a spring of tributes from fans, with posts on X including: ‘ Such sad news about Roberta Taylor she was fantastic in EastEnders and The Bill. Rest in peace;’

During her three-year stint on the soap, Roberta’s character Irene had a string of love interests, including Terry Raymond (pictured played by Gavin Richards)

After graduating from drama school, Roberta starred in a number of plays, including Noel Coward’s Private Lives and Brecht’s Mother Courage (pictured in Crown Court in 1979)

Roberta also had roles in dramas Silent Witness, Inspector Morse (pictured) and Doctors

News of Roberta’s death sparked a spring of tributes from fans

‘Such sad news. I loved The Bill… Gina Gold was a brilliantly written character expertly played by Roberta Taylor;’

‘Real ones know Roberta Taylor by Gina Gold, not from EastEnders, RIP, what an actress;’

‘I’ve been watching old eps of The Bill, Roberta Taylor was amazing! I’m sorry to hear she died, may she rest in peace;’

‘I’m really sad to hear that Roberta Taylor has passed away. A wonderful character actress, RIP; RIP to the iconic Roberta Taylor… a wonderful actress and EastEnders legend… great lady;’

Roberta grew up on the Isle of Dogs and originally trained to be a dental nurse whilst taking drama classes. 

She married Victor Taylor 1966, with whom she had a son Elliott.

After graduating from drama school, Roberta starred in a number of plays, including Noel Coward’s Private Lives, Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband and Brecht’s Mother Courage.

She divorced her first husband in 1975 before marrying Peter in 1996.