Born in Barton-upon-Irwell in 1962, Helen Catherine Lonergan is a former actress who went by the stage name of Kate Lonergan and took the title role of Maid Marian in Tony Robinson's revisionist children's BBC comedy series Maid Marian and Her Merry Men from 1989 to 1994. Her other work included roles in the film The Tall Guy, and the TV series Terry and Julian. She has also guest starred in long running shows such as Casualty, The Bill, Heartbeat, Hetty Wainthrop Investigates, Born and Bred, and Doctors. Since 2011, Lonergan has retired from acting to focus specifically on her work as a gardener. She is the co-founder of The Blackheath Window Box Company, a bespoke containerised gardening company.