Gudrun Ure, iconic star of Super Gran, dies aged 98

Ure starred in the hugely popular 1980s children's show Super Gran, in which she played a granny who gained superpowers after she was struck by a magic ray.

The ITV series ran from 1985 to 1987, and many will remember its theme tune, which featured vocals by Scottish actor and comedian Billy Connolly.

Despite being cancelled after two seasons, hopes for a movie have been around since the first season aired.

Talks of a reboot surfaced last year, with Welsh writer Keri Collins confirming he had penned a script based on the popular series, which won an Emmy in the Children and Young People category in 1985.

The series was based on Forrest Wilson's book series and featured many known faces at the time, including Spike Milligan and sports legends George Best and Eric Bristow.

Ure was undoubtedly the star of the show, however, showcasing her comedic talent as the crime-fighting Granny Smith, who used her powers to protect the residents of the fictional town of Chiselton. Mostly from her nemesis, Iain Cuthbertson's Scunner Campbell.

As well as playing the iconic gran, Ure's career spanned theatre productions, radio plays and other TV shows.

She played Desdemona opposite Hollywood star Orson Welles, who also directed, in a 1951 production of Shakespeare's Othello. She was also involved in the film version of the project, for which she dubbed over the actress Suzanne Cloutier.

Her other work includes playing Lady Macbeth for the Encyclopaedia Britannica's educational content series, and small roles in the likes of Emmerdale and Midsomer Murders. The actress also had a small, recurring role in Casualty.

Ure's niece, Kate McNeill, told the BBC of Ure's Casualty appearance: “She had a very memorable voice. I remember my husband was watching Casualty one night, and I went ‘that’s Gudrun’ as soon as I heard the voice.”

Ure was married for over four decades to John Ramsay before his death in 2008. The couple had a stepson, Gordon.