Actress Wendy Richard loses battle with cancer
Her agent Kevin Francis said: “She was incredibly brave and retained her sense of humour right to the end.”
Richard will be best remembered as Pauline Fowler in EastEnders, a part she played for 21 years.
The actress had fought to overcome cancer twice previously, first in the mid-1990s and then in 2002.
After lengthy treatment her cancer went into remission, but last year the actress found the disease had returned in an aggressive form.
It spread to her kidneys and bones, and in October she revealed that the cancer was terminal.
She married her long-term partner John Burns, her fourth husband, at a star-studded ceremony in London’s Mayfair in October.
Minder star Shane Ritchie, who worked alongside Richard on EastEnders playing Alfie Moon until 2005, said he was, “absolutely devastated” by news of her death.
He said: “I send all my love to John and her immediate family.”
Richard’s friend and fellow broadcaster Esther Rantzen said the star would be badly missed.
“She was courageous, honest, a brilliant talent and she will be greatly missed,” she said.
“She was a woman of huge integrity, she was a terrific, terrific lady.
“She will be missed by a huge number of fans because she has given us so much pleasure over many years.”
Richard was born Wendy Emerton in Middlesbrough in 1943 but grew up in London, where her parents ran a pub.
She was educated at the Royal Masonic School for Girls in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, before leaving school at 15 and working in Fortnum and Mason’s fashion department.
She left to study drama at the Italia Conti Stage Academy in London and decided to change her surname to Richard because “it was short and neat”.
In 1962 she appeared on the novelty record Come Outside with British artist Mike Sarne, reaching number one in the charts.
Richard gained parts in the 1960s BBC soap The Newcomers, Dad’s Army, Up Pompeii! and The Likely Lads.
She also appeared in Carry On films.
But she became a household name playing a cheeky Cockney shop assistant in Are You Being Served? for 12 years.
Richard joined EastEnders with the first episode in 1985 and stayed at the soap until Christmas 2006, when her character died.
She was awarded an MBE for services to television in 2000.
