Hi-de- Hi! Her agent confirmed the death of actress Ruth Madoc, who was 79 years old.
The Welsh actress, best remembered for her iconic role as Gladys Pugh in the 1980s BBC sitcom about a vacation camp in the late 1950s, died on Friday afternoon in hospital after undergoing surgery for an earlier-in-the-week injury.
Her passing was a devastating loss because she was most recognized for her part in the sitcom. Ruth was also well-known for her performances in the television shows Calendar Girls, Little Britain, and Benidorm.
“It is with great sadness that we must announce the demise of our dear and greatly valued client Ruth Madoc,” her agent Phil Belfield of Belfield & Ward Ltd said in a statement. Ruth Madoc was a famous actress.
Her agency went on to state that she was a “special talent cherished by many” and that she “died on the afternoon of Friday, 9th December while in hospital following surgery for a fall she had earlier in the week, which had forced her to withdraw from panto in Torquay.”
“She was a national treasure, and she was looking forward to returning on the road with The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in 2023.” Her film credits include Richard Burton’s Fiddler on the Roof and Under Milk Wood, as well as her legendary television roles as Gladys Pugh in Hi De Hi! and, more recently, Little Britain. She also performed on stage with the Calendar Girls (both the play and the musical).
“She was a one-of-a-kind individual with a one-of-a-kind skill, and many people adored her.” In the British entertainment world, she was a true legend. She was taken far too soon from us. Our hearts have been broken!
We are thinking and praying for her entire family, particularly her daughter Lowri and son Rhys.
Ruth was one of the cast members of an Aladdin performance that was set to take place at Torquay’s Princess Theatre. Before her death was confirmed, the theater organization had already informed her that she would be unable to participate in the pantomime.
On Thursday, they announced on Twitter, “Regrettably, due to an accident earlier this week, and following a medical review, Ruth Madoc will no longer be able to act in this year’s pantomime of Aladdin at the Princess Theatre in Torquay.”
