An actress who appeared in EastEnders, The Bill and Casualty has died backstage after appearing in a play. Josephine Melville had been starring in Nine Night at Nottingham Playhouse.
The theatre said staff had been left shocked after her death on Thursday, reports the Mirror. Josephine will be known to EastEnders fans for portraying Tessa Parker in the soap's early days in the 1980s.
She also had roles in other TV shows as well as on the stage. In a statement, Nottingham Playhouse described Josephine as a "revered and deeply respected performer".