Actress Haydn Gwynne has died aged 66 following a recent cancer diagnosis, her representatives have confirmed.

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

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.”

👉 For more insights, check out this resource.

Helen 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.

👉 Discover more in this in-depth guide.

She also joined The Great British Bake Off Musical as Pam Lee, the judge based on Prue Leith, earlier this year.

She had been due to appear in Mackintosh’s latest musical production, titled Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, at the Gielgud Theatre when the show opened in September – but she had to withdraw beforehand due to “sudden personal circumstances”.

At the time, Mackintosh had recalled that she had become an “integral part” of the “very close-knit company” after giving an “unforgettable” performance of the song Ladies Who Lunch during an Old Friends gala premiere in May 2022, adding: “Haydn will be very much missed.”

Words fall short of expressing our grief for your loss, as we mourn with family and friends for this great loss. We are truly sorry to hear of the loss of this promising being. Please accept our condolences and may our prayers help comfort you. Please receive our heartfelt condolences.

Feel free to drop condolences messages and prayers for the family and friends of the deceased as it will go a very long way at this difficult time of theirs.