Brookside actress Sylvie Gatrill dies after cancer battle

The news of her death was publicly confirmed by friends who knew Sylvie from acting community, with The Liverpool Echo reporting that the actress died following a cancer battle.

Following the sad news of her passing, The Responder writer Tony Schumacher paid tribute to Gatrill, branding the star “quite brilliant” and “such a talented actress".

"So sorry to hear of the passing of the quite brilliant Sylvie Gatrill," he wrote on Twitter.

"Such a talented actress who was so important in helping set the tone of The Responder. My thoughts are with her family."

Her Bread co-star Tony Nyland said: "I've just heard the sad news that the lovely, talented Sylvie Gatrill has died.

"Sylvie and me had a great time playing Edith and Hesketh Cullen in the BBC series Bread. Deepest condolences to her family and friends."

Fellow Brookside actor Mark Moraghan also paid tribute to Sylvie on social media, writing: "Sad to hear my old pal Sylvie Gatrill has passed away. What a character and positive force she was RIP."

Sylvie made her on-screen debut in British sitcom Bread, starring as Mrs Cullen between 1989 and 1991.

She went on to play several notable roles during her acting career and appeared in Heartbeat and Hearts and Minds in the early 1990s.

She also starred in Brookside in 1995, playing Lesley Donnelly, and appeared in The League of Gentleman as lap dancer Queenie.

In 2001, she appeared in an episode of Emmerdale, starring as a character called Mrs Webster.

Most recently, Sylvie appeared in the premiere episode of BBC One hit The Responder, starring Martin Freeman.

Sylvie also ran the Hope Street-based training and talent agency Allstars Casting, representing actors, extras and models from Liverpool.