Anna was educated at Rise Hall Convent in Yorkshire and trained as an actress at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. She followed this with rep at Bristol, Leatherhead and Leeds before embarking on a successful film and television career. Her stage appearances included productions of 'Smith By Any Other Name', 'School for Scandal', 'Present Laughter', 'Butley' (in Vienna), 'Sexual Perversions' (in Chicago) and a number of national tours. She was married to stockbroker Derek Brierley with whom she had a son, Jonathan.