CHERYL HALL, WHO appeared in two episodes of the third series of Survivors in the role of Mavis, died last month on 9 August 2026 at the age of 76.
The character of Mavis was introduced in “Law of the Jungle”, as a unwilling member of Brod’s community who’s been compelled to move to his compound, along with so many other of her friends and neighbours.
Until the arrival of Jenny Richards, Mavis had been pressured into the role of “chambermaid” to the impotent, raging Brod.
Following Brod’s death, Mavis joins the return to the Walters’ family farm. The Walters remain in place, in the company of Agnes, Jenny and Hubert, while Charles heads off to search for the missing Tom Walter.
That search leads to the life-and-death adventure of “Mad Dog”, and culminates in Tom’s reunion with his family on the Highley Station platform at the conclusion of “Bridgehead”.
Hers was a relatively small role across the two episodes, but Hall did well with the material provided to her—particularly in ensuring that Mavis did not come across as a powerless “victim” of Brod’s predatory ways.
In fact, the agency that Mavis is given in Martin Worth’s script, means that she’s able to cut Brod down to size—to the point of complete humiliation—like no-one else in the settlement.
By the time that Cheryl Hall joined the cast of Survivors in 1977, she had already established a varied stage and screen career.
That same year, she took on the role for which she would become best known—that of Shirley, the long-suffering partner of Tooting would-be revolutionary Wolfie Smith in the BBC sitcom Citizen Smith (1977-80). Keen to extend her acting reach, Hall left at the end of the second series “reportedly frustrated at her character’s lack of comic dialogue.”
Born in London in 1950, Hall had attended the Corona Theatre School. As well as establishing herself as a stage actor, she had built up a growing list of TV credits by the mid-1970s, with minor roles in the serious dramas Special Branch (1969) and Callan (1970 and 1972) as well as in comedies On the Buses (1971), Sykes (1972), Bless this House (1974) and Lucky Feller (1975-76).
Shortlisted for the role of Doctor Who assistant that was eventually awarded to Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Hall later appeared in a guest starring role in the Doctor Who serial “Carnival of Monsters”.
Film credits were rarer, with one of Hall’s most memorable appearances coming in No Sex Please – We’re British (1973).
Hall continued an active and diverse acting career up until the early 1990s, when she turned her attention to politics—becoming leader of the Labour opposition group on Kent county council.
In later retirement, she spent much of her time in Greece.
Cheryl Hall — 23 July 1950-9 August 2026