Penelope Keith win the 1976 Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for the play "Donkeys' Years". She became a household name in the UK playing Margo Leadbetter in the sitcom "The Good Life" (1975–78), winning the 1977 BAFTA TV Award for Best Light Entertainment Performance. In 1978, she won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for "The Norman Conquests". She then starred as Audrey fforbes-Hamilton in the sitcom "To the Manor Born" (1979–81), a show that received audiences of more than 20 million. She went on to star in another six sitcoms, including "Executive Stress" (1986–88), "No Job for a Lady"
To the Manor Born Grantleigh, in Somerset near the fictional town of Marlbury. The series begins with the funeral of Marton (sic) fforbes-Hamilton, the Lord of the Manor of Grantleigh. Audrey, his widow (and apparently also his cousin), is far from distraught, as she now has control of the Grantleigh estate, which her family the fforbes-Hamiltons have controlled for 400 years. Her joy is short-lived though, as her solicitor Arnold Plunkett informs her that Marton was bankrupt and that the manor will have to be sold to pay off the debts. Audrey tries to buy back the manor at auction, but is outbid. The