Bread actress Jean Boht dies after battling vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease

'Bread' actress Jean Boht has died aged 91.

The star, who portrayed Nellie 'Ma' Boswell in the Liverpool-set BBC sitcom - which ran from 1986 to 1991 - passed away on Tuesday (12.09.23), just a month after her composer husband Carl Davis died aged 86.

Jean's family said in a statement: "It is with overwhelming sadness that we must announce that Jean Boht passed away yesterday, Tuesday September 12.

"Jean had been battling vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease with the indefatigable spirit for which she was both beloved and renowned.

"She was a resident at Denville Hall, the home for members of the theatrical profession."

Jean also starred in sitcoms 'I Woke Up One Morning' and 'Brighton Belles', as well as two episodes of 'Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em'.

In the 1970s, she appeared in legendary TV shows 'Grange Hill', 'Z Cars', and 'Last of the Summer Wine', and starred in TV drama 'Juliet Bravo' in the mid-1980s.

Jean was also no stranger to Soapland, having made several guest appearances in BBC daytime soap 'Doctors', in 2000, 2006, 2007, 2010, and 2012.

She also starred in 'The Bill' and had several short stints in medical dramas 'Casualty' and 'Holby City', as well as appearing in teen drama 'Skins' in 2011.

In 2012, Jean admitted she didn't watch 'Bread' back in the day, but later caught up on some episodes and she was "astounded at how good it was".

She told the Liverpool Echo newspaper: "I never watched it at the time, it’s too horrendous for actors to see themselves on screen.

"So I had no idea what it looked like.

"But now when I catch it I am just astounded at how good it was and how very funny.

"I can understand why the public liked it so much.

"But then there was such a lot of lovely shows and characters around then."

Jean's husband Carl, who she married in 1970, died in August following a brain haemorrhage.

A statement from his loved ones said: “We are heartbroken to announce that Carl Davis (CBE) passed away this morning, following a brain haemorrhage.

“We are so proud that Carl’s legacy will be his astonishing impact on music. A consummate all-round musician, he was the driving force behind the reinvention of the silent movie for this generation and he wrote scores for some of the most-loved and remembered British television dramas.”

Carl's work included the music for the BBC’s 1995 drama ‘Pride and Prejudice’, and he won a Bafta and an Ivor Novello award for his score to 1981 film ‘The French Lieutenant’s Woman’.