UK stage and screen star Haydn Gwynne passes away at 66

Actress Haydn Gwynne has died at the age of 66, her representatives have confirmed. She had recently been diagnosed with cancer.

The versatile stage and screen actress was best known for her roles in the comedy series Drop The Dead Donkey and as Camilla in the British sitcom The Windsors.

She also starred in medical drama Peak Practice and The Crown.

A statement from her representatives said: "It is with great sadness we are sharing with you that, following her recent diagnosis with cancer, the star of stage and screen Haydn Gwynne died in hospital in the small hours of Friday, October 20, surrounded by her beloved sons, close family, and friends. We would like to thank the staff and teams at the Royal Marsden and Brompton Hospitals for their wonderful care over the last few weeks."

Talking about her stage roles, she played Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher opposite Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II in The Audience.

Mirren paid tribute to Gwynne, calling her a "delight as a person and a consummate dedicated actress".

"I had the huge pleasure of sharing the stage with her," she added, "in the play 'The Audience' where, much like the original characters, (Queen Elizabeth II and Margaret Thatcher) we danced a delicate dance together.

"She was both funny and serious at the same time, a brilliant balancing act that her whole career exemplified. We will miss her very much."

Born in 1957 in Sussex, Gwynne taught English in Italy before she ventured into acting at the age of 25.