CILLA Black was a star of stage and screen and a beloved national treasure.
We take you through her incredible life and how she passed away.
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Who was Cilla Black?
Priscilla Maria Veronica White was born in Liverpool on May 27, 1943, but she was better known as Cilla Black.
She was a popular English TV presenter and actress who celebrated over 50 years in showbiz, receiving an OBE in 1997.
Her career began as a singer in 1963.
But she became best known for hosting hit entertainment shows Blind Date and Surprise Surprise.
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How did Cilla Black die and how old was she?
Cilla Black died on August 1, 2015, aged 72 years old.
She was found dead by her eldest son Robert on the terrace of her Spanish holiday home in Estopena in the Costa del Sol, Spain.
The results from the autopsy confirmed her cause of death as a subarachnoid haemorrhage (a type of stroke) following a fall.
She was known to have suffered from hearing problems and rheumatoid arthritis.
Cilla’s own mother suffered from the progressive bone disease osteoporosis and endured a slow and painful end.
Prior to her death the showbiz legend revealed: “My biggest fear is going like that when I can’t control my body.”
Her funeral was held on August 20, 2015, at St Mary’s Church in Woolton, and was attended by her family and friends including Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Tom Jones and Carol Vorderman.
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What is a subarachnoid haemorrhage?
A subarachnoid haemorrhage is an uncommon type of stroke caused by bleeding on the surface of the brain.
It’s a very serious condition and can often be fatal.
There are usually no warning signs, but a subarachnoid haemorrhage sometimes happens during physical effort or straining, such as coughing, going to the toilet, lifting something heavy or having sex.
Was Cilla Black married?
Cilla Black was married to her husband Robert (Bobby) Willis for over 30 years.
The couple married on January 25, 1969, with a simple London registry office ceremony before having an additional traditional white wedding six weeks later at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Woolton.
Cilla wore a red velvet mini dress for her civil ceremony and then a stunning white mini dress with ostrich feather trim by fashion designer John Bates for her church wedding.
Did Cilla Black have children?
Cilla Black had four children, three sons called Robert, Ben and Jack, and a daughter Ellen who sadly passed away shortly after birth.
In an exclusive interview with Piers Morgan in 2009 during an episode of Life Stories, she explained how she blamed herself for her daughter’s death saying, “I was inconsolable, riddled with guilt, enmeshed in depression from which I was convinced there was no return.”
Since her death her family have discovered a trove of previously unseen footage and audio recording found in her loft.
An exclusive one-off documentary called Cilla: The Lost Tapes on ITV aired these discoveries to the public.
