Actress Jill Gascoine has died at the age of 83, her family confirmed.
Gascoine was best known for playing Detective Inspector Maggie Forbes in The Gentle Line, the first British police drama with a woman in the lead role.
She had been suffering from Alzheimer’s for a decade.
Writing on Facebook, her son Adam said that her family is “relieved that she’s not suffering any more.”
He added: “She was a wonderful human and a spirit of truth and absolute, unconditional love. There was no other.
“I am happy she’s moved on. Please raise a glass. Be kind and love deeply!”
Gascoine’s first TV roles came in series such as Z-Cars, General Hospital and Dixon of Dock Green in the early 70s and later appeared in the BBC period drama The Onedin Line as Letty Gaunt.
She then shot to fame as the lead in ITV’s The Gentle Line, which debuted in 1980, and later reprised the role of Maggie Forbes in spin-off series C.A.T.S. Eyes from 1985 to 1987.
After she moved to Los Angeles with second husband Alfred Molina, she appeared in US shows such as Northern Exposure and Touched By An Angel.
In 2009, it was announced that she was set to join EastEnders as Glenda Mitchell, but later withdrew from the role as she felt she “lacked the right experience to film such a big continuing drama.” She was replaced by Glynis Barber.
She is survived by her two sons from her first marriage to Bill Keith and by Molina.
