Stephanie Turner

Stephanie Turner

Stephanie Turner made history as “juliet bravo‘s” (1980-85) Inspector Jean Darblay – British tv‘s first female police boss. Her no-nonsense portrayal rejected stereotypes, presenting authority as neither masculine nor feminine, but simply professional.

Turner brought working-class authenticity to the role – her Darblay solved crimes while navigating institutional sexism with weary patience. Later episodes saw her balancing motherhood with policing, groundbreaking for its time.

Though she stepped back from acting, her legacy lives on in every female detective who doesn’t have to “act like a man” to earn respect.