Advertisement

Last Of The Summer Wine star Juliette Kaplan dies

Last Of The Summer Wine actress Juliette Kaplan has died at the age of 80 after battling cancer, her agent has said.

She starred in the popular BBC sitcom for 25 years between 1985 and 2010, playing the role of Pearl Sibshaw.

Her tenure on the show spanned 226 episodes, during which her character spent much of the time trying to thwart attempts by her husband to have an affair.

While she was best known for her role as Pearl, Kaplan also appeared in EastEnders, Coronation Street and Doctors over the course of her long entertainment career.

Away from the screen, she was married to Harold Hoser from 1958 until his death in 1981 - and had three children.

She was born on 2 October 1939 in Bournemouth, but spent much of her childhood in South Africa.

Back in 2012, Kaplan told Kent Life that she only went back to Bournemouth because her mother wanted to send her to drama school to "polish up my voice".

Her accent had been influenced by her time in South Africa and a year in New York.

Kaplan spoke to Kent Life to promote a solo show at the Margate Theatre Royal, in which she reprised her beloved role from Last Of The Summer Wine.

Her 2015 appearance as Agnes Tinker in Coronation Street marked her final TV work.

Announcing her death on Thursday, agent Barry Langford tweeted: "Juliette Kaplan, 'Our Pearl', has finally succumbed to the cancer she has bravely battled for so long.

"Thank you everyone who sent their love and support to this fearless and supremely gifted actress. As she said, 'Ta-ta and it's been fun.'"