'Loveliest light on Baker Street has gone out': Sherlock creator leads tributes to actress Una Stubbs who died 'after a few months of illness' aged 84 - after much-loved roles in Worzel Gummidge, Till Death Us Do Part and EastEnders
Actress Una Stubbs who starred in Sherlock, EastEnders and Till Death Us Do Part has died today at the age of 84.
The star, who was born in Hertfordshire in 1937, had a long career in film, TV and theatre spanning more than 50 years, including a role as Mrs Hudson in the BBC's Sherlock with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.
Stubbs, who was also known for her roles in Sir Cliff Richard's classic film Summer Holiday as well as Worzel Gummidge and In Sickness And In Health, 'passed away quietly' at home in Edinburgh surrounded by her family.
Among those paying tribute today was Sherlock creator Steven Moffat, who described Stubbs as 'just about the kindest, nicest, funniest person you could meet', and added: 'The loveliest light on Baker Street has gone out.'
The actress, who was married twice and had three children, had been suffering from an illness for a few months according to her agent, who praised her today as a 'wonderful actress' with an 'extraordinarily varied' career.
Stubbs, who played Aunt Sally in the 1979 version of Worzel Gummidge alongside Jon Pertwee as Worzel, was also in The Worst Witch, Fawlty Towers, Heartbeat, Midsomer Murders, The Catherine Tate Show and Benidorm.
Stubbs was married to The Onedin Line actor Peter Gilmore from 1958 to 1969, with whom she adopted son Jason, and then married Fawlty Towers star Nicky Henson in 1969, before they split in 1975. The couple had two sons, Joe and Christian. Gilmour died in February 2013 aged 81, and Henson died in December 2019 aged 74.
Joe and Christian are now composers, and the latter tweeted today: 'Some of you may have known her as Rita, as Sally as Bat or Hudson but to my two brothers and I she was known as Mum. Thanks for everything Mum. RIP.'
Una Stubbs as Aunt Sally in the 1979-1981 version of Worzel Gummidge, alongside Jon Pertwee as Worzel
Una Stubbs at the London Marriott in Grosvenor Square in July 2019 (left) and The Hospital Club in London in 2018 (right)
Una Stubbs played Mrs Hudson in the BBC's version of Sherlock which ran from 2010 to 2017
Una Stubbs (right) is pictured in West London with a friend in December 2019 in what is believed to be the last picture of her
Una Stubbs as Mrs Hudson in the BBC's Sherlock, in which she starred with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman
Stubbs (right) with Sir Cliff Richard (centre) and Jackie Daryl (left) filming the 1963 film Summer Holiday on location in Greece
Stubbs married Nicky Henson in 1969, before they split in 1975. The couple had two sons, Joe and Christian, who are now composers. Christian tweeted today: 'Some of you may have known her as Rita, as Sally as Bat or Hudson but to my two brothers and I she was known as Mum. Thanks for everything Mum. RIP'
A family statement said: 'Mum passed away quietly today with her family around her, in Edinburgh. We ask for privacy and understanding at this most difficult and sad of times.'
Her agent Rebecca Blond said: 'We are desperately sad to have lost not only a wonderful actress, whose screen and stage career, spanning over 50 years, was so extraordinarily varied, from Till Death Us Do Part to Sherlock, as well as memorable performances in the West End, at the Old Vic, Donmar Warehouse, Sheffield Crucible and National Theatre, but also a wickedly funny, elegant, stylish, graceful, gracious and kind and constant friend.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
'She was also a highly respected and exhibited artist. We will miss her enormously and remember her always.'
Stubbs was born in Welwyn Garden City on May 1, 1937, and made her television debut in 1956 as a dancer on the music programme Cool For Cats.
Summer Holiday helped to make Stubbs's name alongside Sir Cliff in 1963 and she went on to star in BBC sitcom Till Death Us Do Part and its sequel In Sickness And In Health, playing Rita Rawlings.
Other well-known television roles include Miss Bat in The Worst Witch, as well as a role in the Fawlty Towers episode The Anniversary. She first appeared on screen in the 1950s in series such as Benny Hill and Rush Hour.
Stubbs was married to actor Peter Gilmore from 1958 to 1969, with whom she adopted son Jason. They are pictured in 1965
Una Stubbs with her former husband Nicky Henson, pictured together in October 1969. They had two children together
Sir Cliff Richard with Stubbs in Birmingham in 1996. Summer Holiday helped to make her name alongside Sir Cliff in 1963
Stubbs meets Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall at the Royal Academy of Arts to launch the RA250 Friends Membership scheme, at Burlington House in London's Piccadilly in October 2017Actress Una Stubbs who starred in Sherlock, EastEnders and Till Death Us Do Part has died today at the age of 84.
The star, who was born in Hertfordshire in 1937, had a long career in film, TV and theatre spanning more than 50 years, including a role as Mrs Hudson in the BBC's Sherlock with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.
Stubbs, who was also known for her roles in Sir Cliff Richard's classic film Summer Holiday as well as Worzel Gummidge and In Sickness And In Health, 'passed away quietly' at home in Edinburgh surrounded by her family.
Among those paying tribute today was Sherlock creator Steven Moffat, who described Stubbs as 'just about the kindest, nicest, funniest person you could meet', and added: 'The loveliest light on Baker Street has gone out.'
The actress, who was married twice and had three children, had been suffering from an illness for a few months according to her agent, who praised her today as a 'wonderful actress' with an 'extraordinarily varied' career.
Stubbs, who played Aunt Sally in the 1979 version of Worzel Gummidge alongside Jon Pertwee as Worzel, was also in The Worst Witch, Fawlty Towers, Heartbeat, Midsomer Murders, The Catherine Tate Show and Benidorm.
Stubbs was married to The Onedin Line actor Peter Gilmore from 1958 to 1969, with whom she adopted son Jason, and then married Fawlty Towers star Nicky Henson in 1969, before they split in 1975. The couple had two sons, Joe and Christian. Gilmour died in February 2013 aged 81, and Henson died in December 2019 aged 74.
Joe and Christian are now composers, and the latter tweeted today: 'Some of you may have known her as Rita, as Sally as Bat or Hudson but to my two brothers and I she was known as Mum. Thanks for everything Mum. RIP.'
Una Stubbs as Aunt Sally in the 1979-1981 version of Worzel Gummidge, alongside Jon Pertwee as Worzel
Una Stubbs at the London Marriott in Grosvenor Square in July 2019 (left) and The Hospital Club in London in 2018 (right)
Una Stubbs played Mrs Hudson in the BBC's version of Sherlock which ran from 2010 to 2017
Una Stubbs (right) is pictured in West London with a friend in December 2019 in what is believed to be the last picture of her
Una Stubbs as Mrs Hudson in the BBC's Sherlock, in which she starred with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman
Stubbs (right) with Sir Cliff Richard (centre) and Jackie Daryl (left) filming the 1963 film Summer Holiday on location in Greece
Stubbs married Nicky Henson in 1969, before they split in 1975. The couple had two sons, Joe and Christian, who are now composers. Christian tweeted today: 'Some of you may have known her as Rita, as Sally as Bat or Hudson but to my two brothers and I she was known as Mum. Thanks for everything Mum. RIP'
A family statement said: 'Mum passed away quietly today with her family around her, in Edinburgh. We ask for privacy and understanding at this most difficult and sad of times.'
Her agent Rebecca Blond said: 'We are desperately sad to have lost not only a wonderful actress, whose screen and stage career, spanning over 50 years, was so extraordinarily varied, from Till Death Us Do Part to Sherlock, as well as memorable performances in the West End, at the Old Vic, Donmar Warehouse, Sheffield Crucible and National Theatre, but also a wickedly funny, elegant, stylish, graceful, gracious and kind and constant friend.SHARE THIS ARTICLE
'She was also a highly respected and exhibited artist. We will miss her enormously and remember her always.'
Stubbs was born in Welwyn Garden City on May 1, 1937, and made her television debut in 1956 as a dancer on the music programme Cool For Cats.
Summer Holiday helped to make Stubbs's name alongside Sir Cliff in 1963 and she went on to star in BBC sitcom Till Death Us Do Part and its sequel In Sickness And In Health, playing Rita Rawlings.
Other well-known television roles include Miss Bat in The Worst Witch, as well as a role in the Fawlty Towers episode The Anniversary. She first appeared on screen in the 1950s in series such as Benny Hill and Rush Hour.
Stubbs was married to actor Peter Gilmore from 1958 to 1969, with whom she adopted son Jason. They are pictured in 1965
Una Stubbs with her former husband Nicky Henson, pictured together in October 1969. They had two children together
Sir Cliff Richard with Stubbs in Birmingham in 1996. Summer Holiday helped to make her name alongside Sir Cliff in 1963
Stubbs meets Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall at the Royal Academy of Arts to launch the RA250 Friends Membership scheme, at Burlington House in London's Piccadilly in October 2017
Una Stubbs played Aunt Sally in the 1979-1981 version of Worzel Gummidge, alongside Jon Pertwee as Worzel and Barbara Windsor as Saucy Nancy
Sherlock co-stars Una Stubbs, Benedict Cumberbatch and Lara Pulver arrive for the Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London in October 2012
After her turn as Sandy in Summer Holiday, she appeared in Sir Cliff's next film Wonderful Life and later in his BBC TV series It's Cliff Richard!
For several years, she was a team captain in the weekly game show Give Us A Clue in the 1980s and also made appearances in Heartbeat, Benidorm, Victoria Wood's We'd Quite Like To Apologise, The Catherine Tate Show and Agatha Christie's Marple.
She also played Caroline Bishop in the BBC soap EastEnders and more recently appeared in The Durrells, Call The Midwife and Midsomer Murders.
In addition to her work as an actress, Stubbs was also a keen amateur painter who had her work displayed at the Royal Academy in London.
Sherlock's Steven Moffat said of Stubbs: 'The loveliest light on Baker Street has gone out. What a woman, what a talent, what a star - and just about the kindest, nicest, funniest person you could meet.
'I don't know how anyone even starts summing up that career - Till Death Us Do Part, Fawlty Towers, the incomparable Aunt Sally in Worzel Gummidge... and, of course, the irreplaceable heart and soul of Sherlock'. 
(From left) Stubbs, Kimberley Nixon and Sheila Reid in September 2017, arriving for the UKTV Live new season launch at Claridge's hotel in London
Anthony Barclay and Una Stubbs at The Gillian Lynne Theatre in London on July 2, 2019
Stubbs, pictured in February 1968, is known for her roles in TV shows such as Worzel Gummidge and Till Death Us Do Part
Actress Una Stubbs, pictured at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in June 2014, has died at the age of 84
Una Stubbs and Stephen Bowman from the band Blake at Variety Club's Tribute to Sir Cliff Richard at the London Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square in July 2019
And Sherlock co-creator Mark Gatiss tweeted: 'It was one of the great joys of my life to work so closely with and to adore Una Stubbs. She was a wonderful, wonderful woman and a great and serenely graceful actor. Mischief was in her blood. We were so blessed that she became our imperishable Mrs Hudson. Goodbye, darling.'
A tribute from Sherlock producer Sue Vertue and the BBC programme's team said: 'Oh Una Stubbs, how we will miss you. You famously said to Sherlock that you were 'his landlady, not his housekeeper' but to us, you were so much more than either of those things - you were absolutely our Sherlock mum.
'You knitted us together. Always loving life, always wise, always wickedly funny and always kind. Bye bye you darling lady, you will always be in our hearts. - Sue Vertue & the Sherlock family'.
In 2015, Stubbs said that when playing the part she treated her co-stars Cumberbatch and Freeman, who played Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson respectively, the way she treated her own sons.
In an interview with TV Times, she added that she liked 'the variation of the role... not being jolly and just being really sad was a nice change'.
Happy Valley actress Sarah Lancashire was also among the first to pay tribute to Stubbs, tweeting: 'Rest in peace, Una Stubbs. Shocked at this news. Such a great actress. Sad news. Thoughts go out to her family and friends.'
Actress Bonnie Langford said: 'Such a loss. She made everything look so effortless. A consummate professional, kind, gracious, elegant, versatile and fun. Her Aunt Sally was a masterclass alone. Condolences and love to those loved ones left behind.'
Una Stubbs with Sir Cliff Richard in November 1964. Stubbs was in Sir Cliff's film Summer Holiday which came out in 1963
Stubbs is pictured leaping in the air on the south bank of the River Thames in London in 1963
(From left) Tony Booth, Stubbs, Dandy Nichols, and Warren Mitchell on the set of the BBC comedy Till Death Us Do Part as they rehearse at BBC Television Centre in London for a new series in November 1966
Richard Briers, Warren Mitchell (background) and Una Stubbs sit in the famous car from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as they pose with the Lord Mayor of London Ian Bowater in October 1970
Stubbs leaps over a bollard at London Heathrow Airport, with the assistance of fellow entertainers Hank Marvin (left) and Sir Cliff Richard (right) in September 1970
And EastEnders actress Lucy Benjamin tweeted: 'Such sad news. Had the honour of being in the stage production of Worzel Gummidge with Una Stubbs in the early 80s and she taught me so much as a child actor and really showed me the way. What a loss.'
Hollyoaks actress Jessica Fox added: 'Very sad to hear the news of Una Stubbs passing. She played Miss Bat in the version of the Worst witch I was part of. I always remember Una as being so kind and caring of the younger cast.
'She was very quick, funny and incredibly professional. to this day I think Una was the most effortlessly chic and stylish woman I've ever met. I feel very lucky to have worked with her. My thoughts are with her family.'
TV presenter Nick Knowles tweeted: 'I had the pleasure of working with Una Stubbs when she appeared in our film Golden Years. She was a lovely, generous, empathic Lady full of mischief and joy. Everyone on the crew loved her. She will be sorely missed. RIP, I will miss your infectious smile x'.
A statement from the Call The Midwife team said: 'We are sad to hear of the death of the wonderful Una Stubbs, who we were fortunate to work with here on Call The Midwife. We send her family our deepest condolences at this time. xxx'
Sherlock creator Steven Moffat has described Una Stubbs as 'the irreplaceable heart and soul' of the show, in a tribute today
Musician Paul Weller remembered her as 'a wonderful & talented lady', while Michael Moran said: 'I remember seeing Una Stubbs in the street in Victoria, and smiled at her out of recognition before I quite realised who she was. She responded with a lovely beaming smile. Good people.'
Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth said: 'Oh, this is so sad. Such a funny, lovely, gifted lady - a marvellous actress with a special style & a great (and impish) sense of humour.
'I first met her when she was in Cowardy Custard in 1972 and last saw her at Nicky Henson's funeral last year. A sad day.'
Meanwhile TV star Baroness Floella Benjamin said: 'Una Stubbs was not only a great actress but a delightful person too.
'I remember appearing on her team in 'Give Us a Clue' and she made my mum, who I took to the recording feel very special. I'll be eternally grateful to her for that. May she rest in peace.'
TV channel Gold also paid tribute as a spokesman said: 'We're all deeply saddened to learn that the magnificent Una Stubbs has passed away at the age of 84. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time.'
No comments: