Wendy Richard has died

[di marco]

I enjoyed the tribute show after EE too, I didn't realise she'd appeared in so many different shows.

i watched the tribute show too, and like you i didnt realise she had been in all those other things either

[pinkles14]

I couldnt watch the tribute show so i hope its repeated at some stage..

So sad R.I.P wendy

[*-Rooney-*]

i didnt realise this was the third time she had battled with cancer what a shame.

[thestud2k7]

RIP Wendy

such a tv legend

speechless

[Abbie]

OMG! Im shocked thats so sad

[megan999]

Such a talented actress. Glad I managed to catch the tribute programme.
I will remember her most for Are You Being Served and Eastenders. Rest In Peace

[Kim]

I was wondering how she was recently too, and didn't know she'd had cancer three times either. It was a great tribute to a brilliant actress. RIP Wendy.

[Perdita]

Former EastEnders actor James Alexandrou today paid tribute to his late screen mother, Wendy Richard.

The 23-year-old - who played Pauline Fowler's son Martin Fowler for 11 years - spoke to Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford on This Morning about yesterday's news of Richard's death.

He said: "To me, she was mummy number two. She was lovely, caring and always honest."

"I was glad to send her a Mother's Day gift each year," he added. "She liked that. I never wanted to believe she was ill. She was tough as old boots and I thought she would be OK... I collapsed yesterday when I heard the news."

Alexandrou announced his decision to quit the Walford-based soap in April 2006, only days after screen partner Natalie Cassidy (Sonia Fowler) decided to 'take a break' from the programme.

In the August, their departure was brought forward and the pair left two months after Richard's character Pauline was killed off during the 2006 Christmas episodes.

They have always been very close

[Perdita]

Natalie Cassidy has paid tribute to her late EastEnders co-star Wendy Richard, describing the actress as her "second mum".

Cassidy, who played Sonia Fowler on the BBC One soap, revealed that she grew close to the Albert Square legend after losing her mother Evelyn to bowel cancer seven years ago.

"I'm heartbroken. It's so sad to lose someone who's so important to me again because of that horrible, horrible word - cancer," Cassidy told the News Of The World.

"I lost my mum to bowel cancer when I was only 19 and after that Wendy and I became so close," she continued. "She cared about me like a mum. I called Wendy my mummy - that's how she would sign off her text messages to me. But she was also a best friend and someone I could talk to about anything."

Richard, who played Sonia's mother-in-law Pauline Fowler, passed away on Thursday following a battle with cancer. She was 65.

"I kept in contact with her husband John Burns every day," Cassidy added. "He told me, 'She went into intensive care but she's cracking jokes and she'll be home soon'. But she took an unexpected turn for the worse. I didn't see it coming."

Cassidy made her final appearance on the soap in February 2007, two months after Richard's character was killed off in the 2006 Christmas episode.

[Bryan]

I couldnt watch the tribute show so i hope its repeated at some stage..

So sad R.I.P wendy

it's on the I Player! I managed to catch it Friday, and it was an interesting programme.