Born Beatrice Edney in London, she is the daughter of famous British actress Sylvia Syms. Edney first came to audiences attention as Heather MacLeod the 1986 film Highlander, the first film in the Highlander series. She returned to the role again in the 2000 film Highlander: Endgame. In 1990, she appeared in the Bruce Beresford directed film Mister Johnson alongside Pierce Brosnan and Edward Woodward.

Her many television appearances include a leading role in the TV series Lost Empires, based on the novel by J.B. Priestley, with Colin Firth in 1986. She has also appeared in episodes of Rosemary & Thyme, A Touch of Frost, Prime Suspect, Inspector Morse, Agatha Christie's Poirot adaptation of The Mysterious Affair at Styles and Wallander (2009). In 1994, she played the role of Louisa Gradgrind in the television adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel Hard Times. In 1995, she had a starring role in the Channel 4 sitcom Dressing For Breakfast.

Her many television appearances include a leading role in the TV series Lost Empires, based on the novel by J.B. Priestley, with Colin Firth in 1986. She has also appeared in episodes of Rosemary & Thyme, A Touch of Frost, Prime Suspect, Inspector Morse, Agatha Christie's Poirot adaptation of The Mysterious Affair at Styles and Wallander (2009). In 1994, she played the role of Louisa Gradgrind in the television adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel Hard Times. In 1995, she had a starring role in the Channel 4 sitcom Dressing For Breakfast.