Sitcom star was 85

On The Buses star Anna Karen has been found dead at the age of 85 following a fire at her house.

The actress – who played Olive in the classic 1970s sitcom – was discovered in Ilford, East London, shortly after fire crews were called to her home at 10:40pm last night.

Her agent Shane Collins told the BBC: 'She was a great actress, a great comedian and a great soul.'

London Fire Brigade confirmed: ‘Sadly, a woman has died following a house fire on Windsor Road in Ilford.

‘Part of the ground floor of a mid-terrace house was damaged by fire. A woman was pronounced dead at the scene.’

It took around 20 firefighters and three fire engines to bring the blaze under control, taking just under an hour.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, the brigade said, and it is not known if Karen died as a result of the blaze or beforehand. A post-mortem will determine the cause of death.

Karen had been unwell for some time. In January 2016, she had a fall at her home  and broke her back, leaving her sofa-bound for eight weeks. She also was seen in a wheelchair at Barbara Windsor's funeral in January last year.

Karen  became lifelong friends with the EastEnders matriarch after they met on the set of Carry On Camping. Karen would go on to appear on 57 episodes of the soap, playing Aunt Sal, the sister of Windsor’s landlady Peggy Mitchell.

Among those paying tribute today were Bucks Fizz singer   Cheryl Baker, who tweeted: 'I have just heard the awful news that my fabulous mate, #AnnaKaren has died in a house fire.  What an horrific way to die, I can't bear to think about it. I adored her - She was an absolute treasure, both on and off the screen.'

EastEnders star Rita Simons added: 'I just heard the awful news about the wonderful Anna Karen. Horrific and awful and so so sad.  She was one of the best. Sleep well lovely Anna. Sending all my love to her family and friends.' 

Born in South Africa, Karen came to the UK at the age of 17, and first  found work  as a striptease artists before breaking into film and TV.

Her other roles included  Carry On Loving, The Kenneth Williams Show, The Dick Emery Show and The Rag Trade, where she reprised the role of Olive.

The movie version of On the Buses was the highest grossing film of 1971, beating Diamonds Are Forever.

Published: 23 Feb 2022