An early TV role for Yates was in Colin Welland's Play for Today (Kisses At Fifty, BBC, 1972) alongside Bill Maynard, and she went on to feature in several BBC's single play strands, including other episodes of Play for Today: Better Than The Movies (1972), The Bouncing Boy (1972), A Helping Hand (1975), Daft Mam Blues (1977), Marya (1979), The Other Side (1979)', Pasmore (1980), Alan Bennett's Marks (1982) and June (1990).[2] Other roles followed, with a part in Putting on the Agony (Granada, 1973) in which she had the lead role as Marilyn.[3]
She also featured alongside David Swift in Couples, a long running, twice weekly daytime drama on ITV about a marriage guidance counselling service.[5]
She was initially cast in a small role for the Channel 4 comedy drama Shameless playing the role of Carol Fisher, mother of Veronica Ball (Maxine Peake) in 2004, originally for one episode. After a minor role in No Angels, Yates was invited back to Shameless on a permanent basis.
She starred as Carol from series 2 in December 2004 to the end of series 4 in February 2007.[9] She left after three series, when it was decided to write out the Fishers from the programme in 2006, following the departure of Peake.[10]
Her radio performances include BBC Radio 4's Untold Secrets (1995); Sonya And Leo (2002); Playing the Salesman (2006); a recurring role throughout 2008 in The Archers; and BBC Radio 3's Sunday Play: Walk to the Paradise Garden in 2001.[11]
Yates has since been working in theatre.[12] She appeared in the BBC series Casualty as Val Barnaby in the episode "The things we do for..."', broadcast in July 2008.[13]
In January 2010, it was announced that Yates would once again team up with former Shameless co-star Maxine Peake in the film Edge. Filming began that same month.[14][needs update]
In 2022, Yates appeared as Hazel in the film adaptation of Alan Bennett's play Allelujah.
