Shakesby was born in Cottingham, East Riding of Yorkshire. She made her television debut aged 18, on 9 December 1960 in Coronation Street. Shakesby played Ken Barlow's (William Roache) middle class girlfriend, Susan Cunningham, for 12 episodes. In the first episode, Ken states he is taking Susan to the Imperial Hotel, which Ken's father, Frank, forbids, as Ken's mother, Ida, works as a cleaner in the kitchens there and Frank does not like the thought of Ken spending money in the same establishment where his mother works hard to earn it.
