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Brookside star Marian Diamond has died aged 89.
The actress’s death was announced by her close friend Miriam Margoyles, who confirmed the sad news in an emotional tribute on social media.
She revealed that Marian had passed away at University College Hospital in London on Monday, January 5.
In a heartbreaking tribute, Margoyles said: ‘Alas, on my mind is the sudden death last Monday, of my dear friend, Marian Diamond, at UCH in London, aged 89.
‘We first met in Edinburgh, I think in 1968 at the Traverse Theatre, and I loved her from then on. We worked together in radio after I joined the BBC Drama Rep. Company in 1965.
‘She was one of the angels in our business, endlessly generous, interested in others and thrilled by their success.
Marian Diamond, who is best known for her role in Brookside, has died aged 89 (pictured in 1960)
Marian (centre) graduated from RADA drama school in 1956
‘She was beautiful, gentle, full of fun, wise and perceptive.’
She continued: ‘I feel utterly bereft: a unique spirit has been taken very suddenly away from us.
‘Her late sister, the casting director, Gillian Diamond and her close friend, the actor Hugh Dickson, both died in 2018.
‘Gillian’s sons survive her. I hope they will share with her friends the funeral details.
‘She deserves a full house. Marian, you’re held in my heart forever.’
Stage manager Paul Jackson also shared an emotional tribute, writing, ‘I am deeply saddened by the news that Miriam Margoyles posted, that my dear friend Marian Diamond died on the 5th January, aged 89.
‘She was a great supporter of Play School and my archiving of the programme and we remained friends for 35 years.
‘Although I know she had been battling health issues in recent years, I was thrilled to see her in December 2024, when she joined Play School creator Joy Whitby, Phyllida Law (+Sophie Thompson) and Carol Chell at Riverside Studios, to view an exclusive showing of a previously ‘missing’ episode from Thursday 12th August 1965, which she presented with Rick Jones.
‘She was a gentle soul and did much work away from acting helping people. Will be sorely missed x’.
Marian enjoyed a successful acting career and had several roles in TV shows, including Brookside, Jackanory, Doctors and more.
Away from the small screen, she was well known for her distinctive voice roles in a host of BBC radio and television productions.
The actress narrated a series of episodes for children’s classic Jackanory, and voiced the part of ‘Lady of the Woods’ Galadriel in a 1981 radio series adaptation of JR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
