Coronation Street and I, Claudius actress Barbara Young dies, aged 92

Young's daughter Liza Pullman confirmed her mother's death in a statement on Instagram on Saturday.

The singer penned: "Just to let people know, my beautiful, brilliant, opinionated, loud, warm-hearted, talented and singular mother died on Thursday night at 10.30pm. My sister Cory and I were by her hospital bed for 30 hours straight and in the end, as is so often the case, she slipped away in our absence with a beautiful nurse called Mercy ( you couldn’t write it) caring for her.

"The care she received in those last days at Addenbrookes was remarkable - considered, careful and empathetic - and to a person, they all said how much they had loved my mum, how she had made them laugh and how she had always been interested in them."

Pullman added: "She was 43 years without my father, 30 years without a cigarette and 20 years without a drink but never without a humbug and I like to think that now, she is sitting with my father having a large dry - martini and a cigarette as she can genuinely do what the f**k she wants now.

"I am my father’s daughter and those who know me well will know that I am never at a loss for words, but today, I have no words to describe how much I will miss her. You did well mum. Safe travels."

Actress and comedian Dawn French commented on Pullman's post: "Love all around you, sweet L."

Young portrayed two memorable roles in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, first as Martin Platt's mother (and David Platt's grandmother) Barbara Platt, then later as Rita Sullivan's old pal Doreen Fenwick who came in for romantic attention from Norris Cole.

Among her numerous roles, Young also portrayed Sadie Hargreave in the Channel 5 soap opera Family Affairs and appeared as Emperor Nero's scheming mother Agrippinilla in the iconic BBC historical drama I, Claudius.