Joan Sydney, Neighbours' Valda Sheergold actress, dies aged 83

She was born in 1939 and first appeared on screen in 1957 aged 18, in the film When We Are Married.

Her friend and former colleague Sally-Anne Upton revealed that Sydney passed away peacefully on 28th December 2022, writing on Facebook: "My darling colleague & longtime friend Joan Sydney passed away peacefully last Wednesday 28th Dec 2022 and I want to pay tribute to her."

She added: "Thank you for all you have taught me, love, friendship, many memories shared that will be treasured forever RIP DARLING JOAN."

Upton also noted that, as per Sydney's wishes, "she will be cremated privately and there will be no funeral ceremony or memorial to attend".

Valda was a popular character on the long-running soap Neighbours. She was the mother of Lyn Scully, had romances with Harold Bishop and Lou Carpenter, and at one time moved in with the Kennedys.

In a report on TV Tonight, Upton remembered a fond memory organising a benefit. She said: "I asked Joan if she would appear as Matron Sloane and at first she was very reluctant. She thought it wouldn’t work as Wandin Valley [the nursing hospital in A Country Practice] had been a long time off our screen.

"And I said, ‘Are you kidding me? Everyone will know who you are. And it will be the highlight of the show.’ And sure enough, as I’m MC-ing the second half she appeared through the curtain in her white nurses uniform and '70s nurses cap, no words spoken, and brought the house down. Later in the green room she was still in shock of the response. ‘Well, I never!'"

Fans also expressed their condolences on social media, with one fan writing on Twitter: "RIP Joan Sydney. A wonderful actress who went from playing the stern Matron on A Country Practice to the hilariously over the top Valda on Neighbours.

"The surname said everything you needed to know about the character. She was Sheer-Gold."