After training at the
Glasgow College of Dramatic Art (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) she began a career in repertory at the
Gateway Theatre in
Edinburgh, then moved to the Palladium Theatre there. She appeared in as many as 12 shows a week, many with quick changes. Coffey created a satire of a radical radio talk show called
Scope. The presenter was so impressed that he hired her as an interviewer for the
BBC in Edinburgh, where she remained for three years. In the early 1960s she left Scotland behind her, and began working as a character actress in
London's West End. Television audiences first became acquainted with her as the sole female in the late 1960s comedy show
Do Not Adjust Your Set, which also featured
David Jason and three future
Monty Python members:
Terry Jones,
Michael Palin, and
Eric Idle. The producer,
Humphrey Barclay, discovered her on stage in 1967 during a performance at the Edinburgh Festival. He was so impressed with her energy that he hired her to work on
Do Not Adjust Your Set, which ran from 1967 to 1969. She later appeared in another sketch show,
End of Part One, which aired from 1979 to 1980. In the 1970s she was a member of director
Frank Dunlop's repertory company at London's
Young Vic Theatre, appearing in several productions including
Scapino (1974), and beginning her career as a playwright with some children's shows. She also wrote the children's TV series
C.A.B., which was aired in 1986. Coffey had a few supporting film roles: Sidonia in
Waltz of the Toreadors (1962), Peg in
Georgy Girl (1966), Soberness in
Far from the Madding Crowd (1967), and Mrs E. in
Vivian Stanshall's
Sir Henry at Rawlinson End (1980). Apart from
Do Not Adjust Your Set, her television appearances included the
Stanley Baxter series (1968, 1971),
Girls About Town (1970–71),
Hold the Front Page (1974; which she also created),
End of Part One (1979) and
The Adventure Game (1980). Coffey played the role of Librarian "Jenny" in the BBC Schools 10 episode
Look and Read series
Dark Towers (1981). On radio, Coffey featured in
The Wordsmiths at Gorsemere, in the first series of
The Burkiss Way and in
The Next Programme Follows Almost Immediately, and made guest appearances on several programmes, including ''
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue and Just a Minute. She starred with Miriam Margolyes in two series of Alison and Maud (2002–2004). She was also a regular panellist on The Law Game''. She consistently refused to appear in commercials, declaring that it was reprehensible to try to persuade people to buy things they did not need. ==Death==