Coronation Street star dies aged 75

Anita Carey has died at the age of 75.

The actress was known for her role as Joyce Smedley in 'Coronation Street' in the late 1990s before going on to star as Vivien March in the BBC medical soap opera 'Doctors' but passed away towards the end of last month following a battle with breast cancer, according to reports.

After training at the Central School of Speech and Drama, Anita made her name on British television in the 1970s as she appeared in the classic sitcom 'Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?' before going on to star as Babs Humphries in 'Beryl's Lot'.

Anita - who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 - is survived by her actor husband Mark Wing-Davey as well as their two children.

After he took a job in the U.S, she ended up appearing in a number of stage roles across the pond before taking on her British Soap Award-winning part in 'Doctors'.

'The Spoils of War' actress made her first appearance on 'Coronation Street' in 1978 in the guest role of Brenda Summers and went on to appear in other TV hits such as 'Juliet Bravo', 'Heartbeat' and 'Band of Gold' before returning to ITV1's flagship soap opera to play the mother of Judy Mallett - who was played by Gaynor Faye - in 1996 before being killed off in a shock twist the following year.

Prior to her first stint on the soap - during which she had played a victim of domestic violence who was befriended by Street regular Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire) - she explained that she had yearned to take on a more "dramatic" role after making her name in comedy.