After appearing in
repertory theatres and the
Old Vic, she became well known to UK TV viewers between 1965 and 1969 for playing Susan Wheldon, the mistress of building tycoon John Wilder (
Patrick Wymark) in the TV boardroom drama
The Power Game. In 1971, she appeared as
Laurie Lee's mother in a BBC adaptation of
Cider with Rosie. In 1973, she played Aldonza/Dulcinea in the
BBC production of
Don Quixote (retitled
The Adventures of Don Quixote), starring
Rex Harrison and
Frank Finlay. In 1978, she played Queen Victoria in the four-part TV edition of
Disraeli. In 1981, she played Emilia opposite
Bob Hoskins's Iago in the
BBC Shakespeare production of
Othello. In 1982, she played Aunt Fenny in
The Jewel in the Crown and 1986 in a
Jack Rosenthal British television Christmas play
Day To Remember. She played a leading role as smitten Joan Plumleigh-Bruce in the six-part ITV 1987 production of
The Charmer which starred
Nigel Havers. Her film roles included
David Essex's mother in ''
That'll Be the Day (1973), Ghost in the Noonday Sun (1973), the TV remake of Brief Encounter (1974), S.O.S. Titanic (1979), and a voice role in the animated film of The Plague Dogs'' (1982). In 1987, she was nominated for
BAFTA's Best Supporting Actress for
A Room with a View (1985). In 1995, Leach participated in the popular BBC miniseries
The Buccaneers a five-part television adaptation of
Edith Wharton's unfinished novel. Leach appeared as Selina Marable, Marchioness of Brightlingsea. Leach played the part of Anna in
BBC Radio 4's
No Commitments, and Susan Harper's mother Grace in
My Family. She made a guest appearance as 'Bessie' on
Waterloo Road (the TV series), in Series 3 Spring Term. From 1994, she made occasional appearances in
The Archers as Ellen Rogers, the ex-pat aunt of Nigel Pargetter. She portrayed Miss Twitterton in the Radio 4 adaptation of the Lord Peter Wimsey story ''
Busman's Honeymoon'', first broadcast in 1983. In 2001, she played a leading role in
Destroying Angel, an episode of
Midsomer Murders. She played
Queen Elizabeth II three times: in the 2002 television movie
Prince William; in a 2006 updated edition of
The Afternoon Play entitled
Tea with Betty; and in 2009's
Margaret. She played "Miss Plum" in an episode of
Heartbeat called "Every dog his day" in 2004. == Death ==