Biography
Jeillo Edwards (23 September 1942 – 2 July 2004) was a Sierra Leonean actress based in Britain. Born in Freetown, she moved to England in the late 1950s and became the first woman of African descent to study drama at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She appeared in British television, radio, stage and film for more than four decades, with early roles including one of the first black actresses in a mainstream UK drama series on Dixon of Dock Green (1972).
Edwards was known for cameo roles in comedy series such as Spaced (1999) as Tim's Benefit Clerk, Black Books (2000) as a midwife, Red Dwarf (1988) as Second Ground Controller, Absolutely Fabulous (1992) and The League of Gentlemen. Film credits include Beautiful Thing (1996) as Rose and Dirty Pretty Things (2002) as a hospital cleaning lady. She also appeared in dramas including The Bill and Casualty.
In addition to acting, Edwards was a school governor and ran the restaurant Auntie J's in Brixton. She married Ghanaian Edmund Clottey in the early 1970s and they had three children. She died in London after suffering from chronic kidney problems.
