EastEnders and The Bill actress Roberta Taylor has died at the age of 76 following a prolonged infection, previously suffering from emphysema and recently had a fall two months ago which is believed to have agitated her underlying ill health with pneumonia.
The star – who was famed for her BBC One and ITV soap roles – reportedly died earlier this month on July 6.
Taylor survives her husband Peter Guinness, her son Elliot, a granddaughter and two stepbrothers.
Her last major TV series appearance came on the private investigator’s comedy Shakespeare & Hathaway, before taking time away to recover from her illnesses and spending time with family.
News of her death left soap fans devastated and immediately took to their social media account to offer their condolences to her family.
One person penned: “Heartbreaking news. RIP Roberta Taylor, one of the finest actors this country has ever seen. Thinking about her family, friends and fellow fans.”
Roberta Taylor starred in EastEnders from 1997 to 2000
BBC
Another wrote: “Sad news about the passing of Roberta Taylor. Gina Gold was one of my favourite TV characters growing up and I still think of her one liners, some well needed comic relief in what could be a pretty heavy episode.”
“RIP Roberta Taylor. Gina Gold was one of my all time favourite characters from The Bill. Superb actress. Sleep Well,” a third commented before another said: “So sad to hear that Roberta Taylor who played Inspector Gina Gold in The Bill has passed away. RIP.”
Someone else emotionally wrote: “I can’t believe the news. Roberta Taylor was a beautiful actress! Can’t believe she is no longer with us.”
A sixth fan expressed: “So saddened to hear the news of Roberta Taylor’s passing! She was a fabulous actress and a firm favourite of mine in The Bill.” (sic)
Roberta Taylor moved over to The Bill from 2002 to 2008
ITV
Despite her successful acting career, Taylor began her career as a dental nurse and attended drama classes in her spare time.
Taylor married Victor Taylor in 1966, and the couple had a son, Elliott, in the same year, before she auditioned for drama school in 1973, where she went on to meet her second husband Peter Guinness.
She stormed onto Walford in 1997 and was introduced as the matriarch of the Hills family, stopping by to visit her children Sarah (played by Daniela Denby-Ashe) and Tony (Mark Homer).
Her character had several love interests on the BBC soap including a dalliance with Terry Raymond (Gavin Richards) and engaged in an affair with her lodger Troy Harvey (Jamie Jarvis) before leaving the soap in 2000
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Roberta Taylor reportedly died at the beginning of the month
GETTY
She went on to land another high-profile role when she jumped ship from the BBC to ITV and appeared as the no-nonsense Inspector Gina Gold in The Bill, from 2002 to 2008.
Elsewhere in her acting career, Taylor starred in popular TV series such as Silent Witness, Inspector Morse and Doctors.