Waterloo Road actress Lorraine Cheshire dies at 65 as partner shares heartbreaking update

Waterloo Road actress Lorraine Cheshire has died at age 65, her partner John Dixon announced Friday via Facebook. In a post confirming the news, Dixon wrote: "The love of my life passed away early this morning 46 years, and now my heart is broken. To the green fields beyond." The update appeared on December 20, 2025.

Cheshire was best known for her portrayal of Fleur Budgen, an English teacher on Waterloo Road from 2007 to 2012, and for playing Sue Benson in the Sky sitcom Trollied. She did not begin acting until age 35 and later landed a role in the BBC drama Cranford; her CV includes appearances in Holby City, Clocking Off, and a main role in Early Doors.

Cheshire began working on Trollied in 2011 and starred on the Sky comedy until its finale in 2018. The show centered on a fictional Warrington supermarket, and Cheshire played customer service assistant Sue, who spent much of her day gossiping with fellow staff. After Trollied, she appeared in Ackley Bridge as school secretary Lorraine Bird, with her last appearance in 2022.

Tributes poured in from colleagues after the news emerged. Trollied co-star Chanel Cresswell posted on Instagram: "I can’t quite believe I’m writing this. I’ll always cherish the advice you gave and the most wonderful friendship. The naughty laughs we had. The memories we shared."

Lorraine Cheshire’s passing leaves a record of work across British television, including a five-year run on Waterloo Road and later roles that resonated with a later generation of viewers. Her family and representatives have not disclosed a cause of death.