Sheila Hancock was born 22nd February 1933 on the Isle of Wight. She later moved to King's Cross in London where her mother and father ran a pub. Sheila went to Dartford Grammar School, and then with a grant she went to RADA. Sheila then went into 9 years of weekly rep around the country. While in Rep in Bath she meet actor Alec Ross, who she married in 1955 and had a daughter Melanie 'Ellie Jane' Thaw on 15th July 1964. Sheila's first big TV hit was her appearance in The Rag Trade in the early 1960s, her first theatre success was in Rattle of a Simple Man at the Garrick Theatre London. In 1969 Sheila starred in the West End hit So Want About Love? where she meet the actor John Thaw. The same year her mother died of cancer, followed nearly nine months later by Alec's tragic death. On 24th December 1973 she married John Thaw, with their daughters Melanie and Abigail present. On 27th July 1974 at Queen Charlotte's Hospital, Hammersmith, Sheila gave birth to her only child with John, Joanna Suzy Thaw. In the 1980s Sheila toured the UK with RSC and later with the National Theatre. In 1988 Sheila was told she had breast cancer, she fought and won her battle against it. She and Thaw split briefly during this period.In the early 1990s Sheila and John bought a house in Luckington Wiltshire. As well as farm house in Provence in France. In 2001 John was told he had cancer. For nine months John fought against it, and with Sheila's help his privacy was protected. John died in Sheila's arms the day before her 69th birthday. Since his death Sheila has written a book called The Two of Us: My Life with John Thaw, and has made numerous Television and stage appearance talking about the book and her life with John.Sheila lives in Hammersmith near her daughters and grandchildren.