{"id":13725,"date":"2018-12-30T19:09:54","date_gmt":"2018-12-30T19:09:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kumasionlinegh.com\/?p=13725"},"modified":"2018-12-30T19:12:00","modified_gmt":"2018-12-30T19:12:00","slug":"13725-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kumasionlinetv.com\/?p=13725","title":{"rendered":"Dame June Whitfield, star of Absolutely Fabulous, dies aged 93"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Dame June Whitfield \u2013 celebrated for her comic roles in BBC sitcom Terry and June and cult favourite Absolutely Fabulous \u2013 has died aged 93.<\/p>\n

The London-born actress was a regular fixture on TV and radio for six decades, starring in Carry On films, Hancock\u2019s Half Hour, and even Friends.<\/p>\n

At 89, she appeared in EastEnders as Sister Ruth, a nun with a secret about Kat Moon. At 92, she was made a dame.<\/p>\n

Her agent said she died peacefully on Friday night.<\/p>\n

Tributes to her long and successful career in comedy are being made on Twitter.<\/p>\n

Julia Sawalha, who played her strait-laced granddaughter in Absolutely Fabulous, said Whitfield had been a \u201cgreat source of inspiration\u201d to her as a young actress but was \u201cfar too humble to accept my adoration\u201d.<\/p>\n

Fellow Ab Fab actress Joanna Lumley told ITV news she was \u201cheartbroken to lose such a darling friend\u201d, who would \u201calways have a most special place in my heart\u201d.<\/p>\n

She said she would never forget \u201cher sensational talent, humour and her generosity\u201d.<\/p>\n

Jane Horrocks, who played the ditzy character Bubble in the comedy, said her former co-star was a \u201cwonderful lady\u201d, who was \u201cversatile, funny and generous\u201d.<\/p>\n

Most of Whitfield\u2019s scenes during her three episodes on EastEnders were filmed opposite Jessie Wallace, who tweeted: \u201cA truly great actress and comedy legend. Working with June was a masterclass.\u201d<\/p>\n

Impressionist Rory Bremner called Whitfield the \u201cgo-to comedy actress for three generations\u201d.<\/p>\n

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RIP June Whitfield- go-to comedy actress for 3 generations, from 60s radio to 70s, 80s, even 90s TV. Always graceful & elegant with a real comic glint in her eye & (absolutely) fabulous timing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

TV producer Jon Plowman, who worked on Absolutely Fabulous, said there was \u201cno-one with a better ability to just \u2018place\u2019 a line, always an act of utter precision\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Very sad at the news of the death of the wonderful June Whitfield . There was no-one with more warmth or a better ability to just \u201cplace\u201d a line ,always an act of utter precision. Hit after hit! Take it from Here Terry and June Absolutely Fabulous over seven decade. A great loss<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live he described working with Whitfield: \u201cYou would hand her a script, she would work out where the laughs were and then would very quietly wipe the floor with everybody else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Comedian Miranda Hart recalls a touching encounter with Whitfield who responded to an appeal for sponsorship for Edinburgh Festival early on in her career.<\/p>\n

And broadcaster Danny Baker said Whitfield was \u201cformidable, dependable, inimitable. A rock. A gem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"JuneWhitfield with her co-stars at the premiere of Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie in 2016<\/span><\/figure>\n
\"JuneWhitfield, in the company of Sir Terry Wogan and Richard Briers, greets the Queen at BBC Broadcasting House in 2006<\/span><\/figure>\n
\"DameWhitfield was made a dame last year, collecting the honour from Prince Charles<\/span><\/figure>\n

Shane Allen, controller of BBC Comedy, described Whitfield as \u201cthe North Star of British comedy\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer spectacular career is unparalleled in its longevity, with seven decades of being a key element in numerous high profile and successful shows. She was the go-to female comedy performer of her generation and was always in demand from the cream of British comedy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among those clamouring to work with her were Tony Hancock, Frankie Howerd, Ronnie Barker, Benny Hill, Bob Monkhouse and Tommy Cooper.<\/p>\n

On Thursday,\u00a0BBC Surrey broadcast what turned out to be her final interview,in which fellow showbusiness veteran David Hamilton visited Dame June at her home to talk about her life and career.<\/p>\n

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\"Embedded<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

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We will replay what has sadly turned out to be\u00a0#<\/span>JuneWhitfield<\/span>\u2019s final interview, given to David Hamilton, as a tribute to a truly wonderful actress, Sunday 12-1pm. This was the special trailer June and David recorded to promote the programme.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Obituary: A star in her own right<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Terry<\/span>
Whitfield starred alongside Terry Scott in the hit 1970s sitcom<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dame June Whitfield was a constant presence in British post-war comedy.<\/p>\n

Often playing the female stooge to some of Britain\u2019s most famous entertainers, she called herself \u201ca comic\u2019s tart\u201d.<\/p>\n

But after six decades on radio and television, she established herself as a star in her own right.<\/p>\n

The actress always said she was \u201cvery bad at getting round to things\u201d.<\/p>\n

But from her early radio appearances in the 1950s, through to her scatty antics on Absolutely Fabulous, she featured in more than 1,300 radio and television shows.<\/p>\n

\u2013<\/p>\n

Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dame June Whitfield \u2013 celebrated for her comic roles in BBC sitcom Terry and June and cult favourite Absolutely Fabulous \u2013 has died aged 93. The London-born actress was a regular fixture on TV and radio for six decades, starring in Carry On films, Hancock\u2019s Half Hour, and even Friends. At 89, she appeared in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13726,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13725","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\nDame June Whitfield, star of Absolutely Fabulous, dies aged 93 - Kumasi Online TV<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kumasionlinetv.com\/?p=13725\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Dame June Whitfield, star of Absolutely Fabulous, dies aged 93 - Kumasi Online TV\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dame June Whitfield \u2013 celebrated for her comic roles in BBC sitcom Terry and June and cult favourite Absolutely Fabulous \u2013 has died aged 93. 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