Wendy Richard, who played Pauline Fowler, passed away aged 65 after a battle with cancer, leaving her estate to husband John Burns while also making a heartfelt gesture to her beloved co-star Natalie Cassidy.
A beloved EastEnders actress passed away after a long battle with cancer, leaving fans touched by a heartfelt promise she made to a fellow performer. Wendy Richard died 17 years ago today, on 26 February 2009, at the age of 65.
She passed at the Harley Street Clinic in London with her husband, John Burns, by her side. At the time, her representative Kevin Francis paid tribute, saying: “She was incredibly brave and kept her sense of humour right to the end.”
Wendy is fondly remembered for her iconic role as Pauline Fowler in EastEnders, a character she brought to life for 21 years. However, her career had already won her widespread admiration for her role as Miss Brahms in the comedy series Are You Being Served? She had previously faced cancer twice, first in the mid-1990s and again in 2002.
After undergoing extensive treatment, Wendy Richard’s cancer went into remission. However, in 2008, she was told the disease had returned in a particularly aggressive form, having spread to her kidneys and bones. In October of that year, she revealed that her cancer was terminal, according to the Mirror.
She later married her long-term partner, her fourth husband, in a star-studded ceremony in London’s Mayfair. Following her passing, tributes poured in from friends and celebrities.
Former EastEnders co-star Shane Richie, who played Alfie Moon opposite Wendy, expressed his heartbreak at the time, saying he was “absolutely devastated.” TV presenter Dale Winton, a longtime friend who has since also passed away, added: “I knew her as a family friend first, since I was a little boy, and worked with her many times.
“I’m very saddened by the news. She was a real fighter and a genuinely kind and funny lady. My thoughts are with her family — she will be greatly missed.”
Wendy Richard’s dear friend and broadcaster Esther Rantzen expressed profound sorrow at her passing, saying: “She was courageous, honest, a brilliant talent, and she will be greatly missed. She was a woman of immense integrity — a truly terrific lady.”
After Wendy’s death, it was revealed that she wished for her ashes to be scattered alongside those of her late terrier Shirley and eventually her husband John Burns. Reports also stated that she left her £2 million fortune to John, but included a touching clause in her will that extended to a cherished co-star.
Wendy allegedly stipulated that, should John die within 28 days of her passing, everything would go to Natalie Cassidy, who played Sonia — her on-screen daughter-in-law. Natalie reportedly considered Wendy “like a second mum.” In the end, Natalie inherited items such as cookbooks and jewellery from Wendy’s estate.
Born Wendy Emerton in Middlesbrough in 1943, she was raised in London, where her parents ran a pub. She later studied drama at the Italia Conti Stage Academy, adopting the stage name Richard because “it was short and neat.” In 1962, she appeared on the novelty single Come Outside with British artist Mike Sarne, which reached number one on the charts.
Throughout the 1960s, Wendy appeared in BBC shows including The Newcomers, Dad’s Army, Up Pompeii!, and The Likely Lads, as well as several Carry On films alongside future EastEnders co-star Barbara Windsor.
She gained widespread fame for her 12-year role as the cheeky Cockney shop assistant Miss Brahms in Are You Being Served?
Wendy joined EastEnders from its very first episode in 1985, staying until Christmas 2006, when her character Pauline Fowler was written out. In recognition of her contributions to television, she was awarded an MBE in 2000.
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