The director and designer Voytek, who had cast her in The Incredible Adventures or Professor Branestawm, asked her to play Linda Brightson in the Crown Court case 'The Woman Least Likely' (February 1974). She then returned to the drama anthology format with a small role in the Seven Faces of Woman play 'Cherryripe and the Lugworm Digger' (2nd June 1974) and a more substantial role as Sharon Powers in the ITV Playhouse production 'Love Affair' (3rd July 1974). She made her first appearance in an episode of Softly Softly: Task Force by playing Marilyn in the episode 'Pop Goes the Weasel' (2nd October 1974).
Her second Softly Softly: Task Force appearance saw her playing the role of Honor in 'Female of the Species' (15th October 1975) and a few weeks later she appeared as Sherry in an episode of the sitcom The Cuckoo Waltz – 'One Week Later' (3rd November 1975). Cheriton continued within comedy for her final appearance for the year playing Jocelyn Tatterswhite in the Sykes episode 'Night Out' (5th December 1975). At some point during the year she also appeared in two episodes of the BBC educational series Mathshow.
Cheriton started 1976 with two small roles; playing a 'blonde girl' in the Z Cars instalment 'Fairground' (15th March 1976) and a waitress in the Bless This House episode 'Some Enchanted Evening' (22nd April 1976). She also added glamour to an episode of the ITV sitcom Get Some In (26th July 1976) playing Rhonda, the girlfriend of one the regular cast.
Prior to her role in Beasts she could be seen in an episode of anthology series Killers, 'Murder at the Metropole' (11th August 1976), playing Gwendoline Bugg. The story was based on a real life 1929 trial when woman was found dead in a blazing hotel room at the Metropole Hotel in Margate. The woman’s son was accused of her murder. Cheriton’s character was a hotel waitress who gave evidence at the trial. Her role as Linda in 'Special Offer' was next. Post-Beasts she could be seen as Anne in the Second City Firsts production 'Postcards from Swansea' (10th May 1977) and appearing as Brenda Sweeting in the Murder Most English storyline 'The Flaxborough Crab' (29th May 1977). She was reunited with her 'Special Offer' co-star Wensley Pithey in 'A Hymn from Jim' (29th September 1977) playing Sally in the drama series Premiere. She then appeared as Naomi Grant in the six part children’s fantasy series Raven (19th September – 24th October 1977).
She appeared as Veronica in 'Re-Arrangements' (19th May 1978) an episode of London Weekend Television’s drama People Like Us. Next she played Kate, a waitress who is having a fling with William Shakespeare, in ATV’s Will Shakespeare appearing in the first two episodes only – 'Dead Shepherd' (13th June 1978) and 'Aims for Oblivion' (20th June 1978) – having been killed off by the plague. She was cast as Katy Smart in the medical soap opera Angels in 1978 and would become one of the more popular characters in the programme. Cheriton played the role in over 100 episodes between 1978 and 1981.
For the pantomime season Cheriton was cast in Godilocks as the eponymous lead character in a production staged during December 1978 and January 1979 at the Grand Pavillion in Porthcawl. The Stage gave her a glowing review: “Attractive Shirley Cheriton as Goldilocks is superbly cast, giving the leading role an air of sweetness and sincerity. She sings beautifully, and is one of the best female pantomime stars seen in Porthcawl for many years.”[2] Her final onscreen role for the decade was as Nell Scroop in the Hazell episode 'Hazell and the Public Enemy' (5th July 1979). In her personal life Cheriton married for the first time in April 1979, though the union to policeman Howard Spinks only lasted until 1982, when they were divorced. During the summer of 1983 Cheriton returned to acting when she appeared in a touring production of the stage farce Pyjama Tops, supporting a top billed John Inman. It was then panto time once more for Cheriton with an appearance in a production of Dick Whittington at the White Rock Pavillion during December 1983 and January 1984.
It was her role as Katy Smart in Angels which led her to be cast as Debbie Wilkins in Eastenders in March 1985 by Julia Smith who had also overseen Angels. After leaving Eastenders in June 1987 she appeared in the touring theatre work The Monkey Walk which opened in Richmond. This two handed play saw her perform alongside real life boyfriend Ross Davidson who she had met whilst acting in Eastenders. This was her first substantial stage role. However, the production suddenly folded when the production company responsible for the show, Perry Milson, was declared bankrupt and went into receivership. A bitter legal dispute ensued with both Cheriton and Davidson both seeking compensation for loss of earnings.
On television she appeared as a barmaid in the first episode of the Wendy Craig comedy vehicle Laura and Disorder (19th February 1989) and as a character called Debbie in a couple of episodes of sitcom Three Up Two Down – 'Golf' (4th June 1989) and 'The Driving Test' (11th June 1989). For the 1989 pantomime season Cheriton was reunited with her Angels and Eastenders co-star Kathryn Apanowicz in a mash-up, Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood, staged at Watersmeet Arts Centre in Rickmansworth during December 1989 and January 1990.
Cheriton seems to have struggled to rebuild her career post Eastenders and it wasn’t until the Are You Being Served sequel Grace and Favour that Cheriton was regularly back on the television. She played Miss Presscott during the programme’s first season and in the first episode of the second season. There was another lengthy gap in appearances – ten years – before Cheriton next appeared on screen. She had a guest role as Barbara Dunn in 'Red Heads' (31st May 2003) an episode of M.I.T. : Murder Investigation Team. Her final television role to date was as Mrs Spalden in 'Last Night a DJ Saved My Life' (25th February 2009), an episode of the ITV sitcom FM which starred Chris O’Dowd and Kevin Bishop.
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