Hi-de-Hi! actress Ruth Madoc dies 

Actress Ruth Madoc, who starred in the BBC sitcom Hi-de-Hi!, has died aged 79, her agent says.

Her agent said she died in hospital on Friday afternoon after surgery for a fall she had earlier in the week, reports BBC.

Phil Belfield of talent agency Belfield & Ward Ltd described her as a “unique talent loved by many”.

He paid tribute to her “iconic” TV performance as Gladys Pugh in the 1980s comedy Hi-de-Hi!, about a holiday camp in the late 50s.

Born in April 1943, Madoc trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Her career spanned many roles in theatre and musicals, including Fiddler On The Roof and Gypsy. Her more recent performances included Little Britain, where she played Daffyd Thomas’s mother, and on stage with Calendar Girls.