Actress Ruth Madoc, who played the title character in the BBC sitcom Hi-de-Hi!, passed away at 79, according to her agent.
After having surgery following a fall she suffered earlier in the week, according to her agency, she passed away on Friday afternoon in the hospital.
She had a “special talent admired by many,” according to Phil Belfield of the talent agency Belfield & Ward Ltd.
He paid homage to her “iconic” television portrayal as Gladys Pugh in the 1980s comedy Hi-de-Hi!, which was about a summer camp in the late 1950s.
He said, “We must announce the demise of our dear and cherished client Ruth Madoc with deep grief.”
She was “gone way too soon,” according to Mr Belfield, who referred to her as a “true legend of the British entertainment industry.”
After falling, she was forced to leave the pantomime Aladdin at the Princess Theatre in Torquay, Devon.
In a tribute on Instagram, screenwriter Russell T Davies called her “funny, loving, salty, shrewd and delightfully uncynical.”
The Doctor Who writer and It’s A Sin creator described her as “one of those beautiful old troupers who loved the profession, loved the tales, loved performance and performers.”
She played the lead role of Myrtle in the Mine All Mine television series I created. She was wonderful.
How did Ruth Madoc die?
On December 10, Ruth Madoc passed away, according to her agent Phil Belfield of Belfield & Ward Ltd. We must announce Ruth Madoc’s passing, he said, “and it is with deep regret that we do so.” Madoc fell away unexpectedly on December 9 while undergoing surgery following a fall earlier in the week. After the incident, the beloved actress had to withdraw from a pantomime she was scheduled to appear in Torquay. Belfield added, “Thoughts are with her daughter Lowri, her son Rhys, and everyone in her family.
Who was Ruth Madoc’s Husband?
Madoc had a son and a daughter with actor Philip Madoc, with whom she had previously been married. Before separating in 1981, the couple were married for 20 years and co-starred in The Life and Times of David Lloyd George.
Madoc wed John Jackson a year later, in 1982. They were married until his passing in September of last year and shared a home in Gylnneath.
Jackson’s friend and producer, Owen Money, referred to Madoc’s spouse as the “smartest sweetest man” he had ever met in a Facebook post published after Jackson passed away.
Ruth Madoc Early life
Madoc was born in Norwich, where both of her parents were practising doctors. Her grandparents, her Welsh grandmother Etta Williams and her English grandfather, raised her in the Swansea suburb of Llansamlet while her parents were away for a significant portion of her early years. Later, she received training at London’s RADA.
Ruth Madoc as Gladys Pugh (Chief/Sports Organiser/Radio Maplin Announcer)
Ruth, a RADA graduate, received a BAFTA for her portrayal of Gladys Pugh. Her catchphrase was “morning campers!” and she was the Chief Yellow coat. Paul Shane, a castmate with her, served as the best man during her wedding to John Jackson. Ruth, a mother of two, appeared in several stage productions following the conclusion of the renowned series, including the musical Annie and various Agatha Christie plays.
The 78-year-old actress later played Daffyd Thomas’ mother in Little Britain, Amanda Holden’s Big Top on BBC, and even a 2010 Coming Home episode. She has performed on stage while fully clothed with actresses including Jean Boht and Lisa Riley in the play Calendar Girls, as well as on BBC’s Casualty. In a recent appearance with Loose Women, she claimed that “the Welsh accent isn’t far beneath the surface” of the persona she created. She had a lovely personality, and, to be honest, if Hi-de-Hi hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t be sitting here. The actress and her spouse of 39 years reside in South Wales.
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