The partner of Nicola Bulley has described the horrific messages he received as police searched for his missing partner in January last year

Nicola Bulley’s partner has spoken out for the first time, sharing the horrifying messages he received from strangers and their children’s heartbreaking plea for their mum.

In his tearful first interview, Paul Ansell spoke about what it was really like during the tragic search for Nicola 18 months ago. Her at the end of January last year led to a 23 day police search after Paul had alerted police to her being missing. What followed was huge media attention and coverage on social media. Sadly, her body was found in the River Wyre on February 19, about a mile from where she vanished.

Now, a new BBC documentary looks back on what happened during the days of the search and the frenzy of interest on social media which took its toll on Nicola’s family. Paul describes the media and social media attention as initially being a good thing. However, he admits it soon started to feel like they were “poking a monster”.

Paul Ansell in new BBC documentary ( 
Image:
BBC)
He told the documentary: “I was getting direct messages from people that I’ve never met – they don’t know me, they don’t know us, they don’t know Nikki.”

He said the family felt they were unable to respond to online message as they feared a reply would be reposted or taken out of context. Paul described he felt “silenced” at the situation.

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“On top of the trauma of the nightmare that we’re in, to then think that all these horrendous things are being said about me towards Nikki – everyone has a limit.”

“I was getting direct messages from people that I’ve never met. They don’t know me, they don’t know us, they don’t know Nikki. They know nothing about us,” he added. “Just messages like ‘you b******’. ‘We know what you did’. ‘You know you can’t hide Paul’, that kind of stuff. “There was some that I felt like replying to, but then if you reply to that, they’ll just screenshot your reply, if that’ll end up on social media. And so you’re literally silenced, and you can’t do anything about it.”

The search for Nicola gripped the nation ( 
Image:
BBC News Archive)
Paul realised that Nicola was missing on the Friday morning after she took their two children to school with their family dog Willow. Initially, he hadn’t been worried but when the children’s school phoned him at 10.30am to say that someone had found their dog and Nicola’s phone by a bench, he knew “something wasn’t right here”.

“I mean, that’s not a normal phone call to get,” he explains. “She would never have left Willow.” He added: “It’s where you feel like your legs have gone. In a situation like that, your mind is going absolutely crazy. And so I rang the police as I was driving.”

Reliving the phone call she received from Paul at her desk, Nicola’s sister Louise Cunningham describes him as being “panicky and frantic”. She says: “He was like, ‘something’s happened, something strange has happened’.”

The search had a heartbreaking impact on the couple’s children, with Nicola’s mum Dorothy recalling an incredibly sad conversation with one of her grandchildren. She says: “One morning, I got up. The youngest one, she says: ‘Cold, isn’t it, Nanny?’ She said: ‘I hope mummy’s not cold and hungry’.”

Nicola’s sister spoke about the heartbreaking phone call she received from Paul ( 
Image:
Rogan Productions)Paul said he had tried to remain positive throughout the ill-fated search for the sake of the children he shared with Nicola. However, he admitted it was tough at times. “The nights were the hardest,” he confessed.

“In the morning the hope would be strong. It used to go dark at like 4pm. It used to get to about 3pm and then I’d start panicking that I knew it would start going dark in an hour. So we had an hour to find her. And then obviously I’d have the girls. The first they’d do when they came out of school was run over and say ‘have we found mummy?”

A coroner recorded Nicola’s death as accidental last year. They said she had fallen into the river and suffered “cold water shock”, adding there was “no evidence” to suggest suicide.

Phillip Schofield is back on TV in new Channel 5 series and he couldn’t resist a cheeky dig at former best pal Holly Willoughby

Phillip Schofield puts the boot into former best friend Holly Willoughby by mocking her famous This Morning ‘OK’ intro after he left.

Holly asked viewers ‘Firstly, are you OK?’ In the light of Schofield’s decision to quit the daytime show. On his new Channel 5 programme Schofield makes it clear there is no love lost between the pair these days. Sitting down for BBQ with his wife and two daughters with a glint in his eye, Schofield says: “If you’re okay, then we’re okay and I’m okay. Are you okay?”

It’s a clear sign of him mocking someone who was seen as his on-screen wife for many years, but who he is no longer friends with. And it is not the only time in the opening episode he appears to put the boot into his old employers and possibly other hosts like Holly. Biting on a piece of fruit he says: “It’s going through an angry bitter stage…like some television presenters haha.”

Schofield described leaving ITV as the “biggest grenade going off in your life”. The decision came after it emerged he had been lying for several years about an affair with a younger male staff member on This Morning. He described it as “unwise but not illegal” and quit in May 2023. He left saying “This Morning itself has become the story” before quitting ITV all together a week later.

Schofield is full of praise for his daughters Ruby and Molly who he says are the reason he is still here having had suicidal thoughts. Even after his affair he also remains close to his wife Stephanie and he continues to wear his wedding ring when he heads off to the tropical island off the coast of Madagascar for Phillip Schofield: Cast Away.

Phillip Schofield is cast away on an island off the coast of Madagascar ( 
Image:
PA)
Daughter Molly says everything that has happened has brought the family “closer”. She added: “We’ve seen him at his lowest times, but I’ve been so proud of him, and as a daughter to see the love that people had for him that when it’s taken away it’s just heartbreaking.”

She adds: “I never thought it would have gone the way it has but to have my parents still best friends…Im the luckiest person ever” Schofield, who is still wearing his wedding ring on the show, says: “Some families can adapt, some families can’t. Without them I wouldn’t be here. I still have the love of my family. Never wavered.”

Viewers will also hear from Schofield’s wife Stephanie who has seemingly stayed friends with him throughout everything. Stephanie said: “What people don’t realise if that they batter you but then there are other people affected.” She adds: “There’s no question by doing this you’re popping your head back up above the parapet for the very few horrid people that there are out there.”

Schofield appears to mock Holly on his new Channel 5 show ( 
Image:
© Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited / Burning Bright Productions)
The first episode begins with Schofield being asked why he wants to take on the challenge of being stuck on a deserted island alone, having to gather his own food, to which he responds: “I think there’d be an awful lot of people that hope I never come back.” He added that This Morning was a “joy” and a “privilege”, and he understands how he has been “lucky” during his more than four decades of TV career, until it came to an end in 2023.”When it came to a sudden very abrupt end, you know one minute you’re there and then the next minute you’re gone, you know what it feels like to be cancelled,” he also said. “It’s like the biggest grenade going off in your life, and you know you let people down, you’ve let yourself down, and it was unwise and (an) unprofessional thing to do, I will be forever sorry, I screwed up, I made a mistake, and I hurt the people around me.”

Beloved actress Dame Maggie Smith has died at the age of 89.

In a statement issued via their publicist, her sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens said: “It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith.

 

“She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September.

“An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.

Maggie Smith has passed away aged 89 (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.

“We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”

The legendary actress was perhaps most well known for her role as Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter – heartbreakingly, she has become the 26th cast member to have died since the movies first became so loved all the way back in 2001.

Smith was also a beloved name throughout her entire career, with her being well known for her time on Downton Abbey and Sister Act.

Tributes have begun pouring in from fans online, devastated by the death of the beloved actor.

James Crooks, a film journalist, posted on Twitter saying: “An absolutely fantastic actress whose presence will be missed. So influential to British television and film too, what a shame.”

Gyles Brandreth posted a picture of the pair and said: “The saddest news: the death of Dame Maggie Smith marks the end of a golden era & a quite extraordinary life.

“She was a truly great actress, “one of the greats” & simply the best company: wise, witty, waspish, wonderful.

“One of a kind in every way & consequently irreplaceable.”

Another account posted on Twitter and said: “One of those news you think you’ll never hear because in your heart they’re just immortal.

“Rest in peace, Dame Maggie Smith. You’ll be deeply missed.”

One fan posted on Twitter to say: “Heartbreaking news. An iconic actress that will be dearly missed.”

Another pointed to her role in Harry Potter, saying: “Will always remember this as one of Maggie Smith’s most iconic scenes”.

Smith’s role as Minerva McGonagall was an iconic one, with Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe crediting her for getting him the role.

He said in 2011: “Well she got me the job at Potter, practically, so for anyone who doesn’t know that story, I basically owe everything to Maggie Smith because I worked with her on David Copperfield and then she came over to Potter as McGonagall and said to the director, you need to audition this boy.”

Dame Maggie Smith died on Friday, September 27, at the age of 89. She was three months shy of her 90th birthday

Maggie Smith as Professor Minerva McGonagall in Harry Potter (
Image: Videograb/Warner Brothers)

Dame Maggie Smith passed away Friday, September 27, at the age of 89. The iconic actress was just three months short of her 90th birthday. One of her most eclectic roles was playing Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise from 2001 until 2011.

However, in 2007 while she was filming the sixth film in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in her 70s. She later went on to make a full recovery.

Despite the Downton Abbey star not revealing she had the disease until 2009, she still continued to work on set.

 

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph at the time, she said she was undergoing chemotherapy and was a little apprehensive about doing theater performances. “I’m not sure I could go back to theatre work, although film work is more tiring,” she said. “I’m frightened to work in theatre now. I feel very uncertain. I haven’t done it for a while.”

Upon learning she had cancer at her age, the news “knocked her sideways.”

“It kind of takes the wind out of your sails, and I don’t know what the future holds, if anything. I don’t think there’s a lot of it, because of my age — there just isn’t. It’s all been. I’ve no idea what there will be,” she told The Times in 2009.

“I had been feeling a little rum. I didn’t think it was anything serious because years ago I felt a lump and it was benign,” Maggie explained, adding that it took “longer to recover.”

Maggie died on September 27 at the age of 89 ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
During filming Harry Potter, she was hairless and felt “horribly sick” from the chemo, also donning wigs for her character. But she was able to “stagger through the last Harry Potter” because “the cancer was hideous.”

“I don’t know what the future holds, if anything,” Maggie admitted to the Times. “You feel so ghastly, you wouldn’t mind dying a lot of the time. The last couple of years have been a write-off, though I’m beginning to feel like a person now. My energy is coming back.”

Maggie appeared in the Harry Potter franchise from 2001 until 2011 ( 
Image:
PA)

Maggie went on to shoot the last two installments of the wizard fantasy franchise, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2, released in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

Her sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens released a statement on Friday, confirming the news of her death. “She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September,” it read. “An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end.”

It continued: “She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.”

Dame Maggie Smith’s last picture: Beloved star posed for Loewe fashion campaign before her death aged 89

Dame Maggie Smith beamed for the camera in a fashion campaign for Loewe in what would end up being her last photo.

The beloved actress died aged 89 on Friday with her children Chris Larkin, and Die Another Day star Toby Stephens, announcing her passing in a statement.

In October 2023, Maggie was named as the new face of the luxury Spanish fashion house Loewe.

The veteran of stage and screen delighted fans as she posed for a series of striking photographs while modelling the brand.

She beamed down the lens for a second snap where she layered up in a shaggy coat and carried a quirky olive handbag.

It came as the Spanish fashion brand hosted a star-studded runway show on Friday as part of Paris Fashion Week.

The British star was known for prominent roles in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey, and her Academy Award-winning performance in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie.

In a statement announcing her death, Maggie’s sons said: ‘It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith. She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September.

‘An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.

‘We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.

‘We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.’

Born in Ilford, Essex, on December 28, 1934, she was an internationally recognised actress for much of her life after playing the fanatical teacher Jean Brodie in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie.

She also won over Harry Potter fans later in life, when she appeared in the film series as the quick-witted, kind and formidable Professor McGonagall.

And in 2010 she was central to the success of ITV series Downton Abbey, in her Emmy-award winning role as the acerbic Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, which she continued to play in the films.

Her career of more than half a century brought her recognition almost from the beginning, and she received an early Bafta nod for promising newcomer in 1959 for the crime film Nowhere To Go.

This was followed by Bafta nominations for Young Cassidy in 1966, Death On The Nile in 1979, California Suite in 1980, Quartet in 1982, The Secret Garden in 1994, Tea With Mussolini in 2000, Gosford Park in 2002, and The Lady In The Van in 2016.

She also won best actress gongs for The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie, A Private Function and The Lonely Passion Of Judith Hearne.

Her final roles included The Miracle Club, which follows a group of women from Dublin who go on a pilgrimage to the French town of Lourdes, and 2022’s Downton Abbey: A New Era, in which Violet dies.

Among the first to pay tribute was her friend Gyles Brandreth , who said: ‘The saddest news: the death of Dame Maggie Smith marks the end of a golden era and a quite extraordinary life.

‘She was a truly great actress, ‘one of the greats’ and simply the best company: wise, witty, waspish, wonderful. One of a kind in every way and consequently irreplaceable.’

Dame Maggie was one of the most versatile, accomplished and meticulous actresses of her generation, her repertoire ranging from Shakespeare to character parts in Harry Potter.

She was a performer of contrasts, with an astonishing capacity to switch imperceptibly from radiance to melancholy, from quiet to boisterous, from graciousness to mischief within seconds.

Although she was a tour de force in leading roles on the West End stage, she was equally happy – even during the years of her mega-stardom – to accept supporting roles, particularly in films.

Truly professional and as near a perfectionist as she could be, she treated these roles with as much detailed and careful attention as she did her major parts.

Probably her greatest triumph was in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie, for which she won her first Oscar.

But, Dame Maggie – she was made a DBE in 1990 – was self-deprecating about her abilities.

Her family background gave no indication that she would not only enter the acting profession but also become one of its leading exponents.

She said she had wanted, from childhood, to become an actress, but she did not see a play or a film until she was a teenager.

Nor did she receive much encouragement from her family, particularly one of her grandmothers, who remarked that she could not go into acting ‘with a face like that’. But none of this deterred her from her ambition.

Margaret Natalie Smith was born in Ilford, Essex, on December 28, 1934. She was educated at Oxford High School for Girls and later the Oxford Playhouse School, and first appeared on the stage as a girl of 18 in Twelfth Night.

She made an early mark in revues, as a singer and dancer. One fan who saw her on Broadway in New Faces of ’56, said he laughed so much he ended up banging his head on the seat in front of him.

She was spotted by Laurence Olivier, who saw her as much more than just a vaudeville performer and invited her to join the newly-formed Royal National Theatre Company in London.

There, and at the Old Vic, she excelled in both tragedy and comedy, moving easily from Shakespeare to Noel Coward, to Restoration comedy to Ibsen.

As a ‘rep’ actress, she was able to develop her incredible range, skill and talent among some of Britain’s best actors, including Robert Stephens, who was to become her first husband. They married in 1967 but divorced in 1974.

The film industry began to recognise her abilities and she was given several supporting roles.

But she first emerged as an international star with her virtuoso performance as the fanatical teacher Jean Brodie in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie.

Even in smaller roles she could upstage the film ‘giants’. In one film, Richard Burton described her scene-stealing as ‘grand larceny’.

Dame Maggie won over a whole new generation of fans when she played Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter films.

In 2010 she was central to the success of ITV series Downton Abbey, in her Emmy-award winning role as the acerbic Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham.

But she later told ES Magazine: ‘I am deeply grateful for the work in (Harry) Potter and indeed Downton (Abbey) but it wasn’t what you’d call satisfying.

‘I didn’t really feel I was acting in those things.’

Her numerous awards also covered her performances in Tea With Mussolini, A Room With A View, A Private Function and The Lonely Passion Of Judith Hearne.

Dame Maggie won a best actress Oscar for the role in 1970.

Other film roles include her portrayal of a drunken Oscar loser in California Suite, the dying older lover in Love, Pain And The Whole Damn Thing, the tragic lodger in The Lonely Passion Of Judith Hearne, and the so-called ‘funny old bat’ in Gosford Park, which brought her a sixth Oscar nomination.

She starred alongside Dame Judi Dench in the 2004 film Ladies In Lavender, and on stage in the David Hare play The Breath Of Life.

One of her most famous roles was as a bag lady in The Lady In The Van, the 2015 adaptation of Alan Bennett’s memoirs.

She recently starred in the 2022’s Downton Abbey: A New Era, where Violet’s health deteriorates and she dies in an emotional end to her character.

The next year, she appeared in The Miracle Club, which follows a group of women from Dublin who go on a pilgrimage to the French town of Lourdes.

Dame Maggie’s second husband, the playwright Beverley Cross who she married in 1975, died in 1998.

She had two sons from her first marriage, Stephens and Larkin, who are both actors.

Acting legend Dame Maggie Smith, who died today aged 89, had spoken out about the complicated health battles she faced during the height of her career, and candidly revealed her thoughts about dying

Theatre and acting legend Dame Maggie Smith had come to grips with her mortality before her sad passing.

 

The Downtown Abbey star, who died today aged 89, rose to fame for her performance in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie back in 1969 – which landed her first-ever Oscar. She went on to become one of the UK’s biggest national treasures, immortalised for her iconic role of Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise.

Sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin announced the actress’ death, stating she passed away ‘peacefully’ in the hospital. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days,” they said in a statement. “We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”

Maggie had been open about her health battles, after being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 74. She says chemotherapy was a ‘hideous’ experience, arguing it made her ‘feel much worse’ than the disease itself. “I used to go to treatment on my own, and nearly everybody else was with somebody,” she recalled. “I wouldn’t have liked that. Why would you want to make anybody sit in those places?”

 

The diagnosis came after Maggie found a lump on her breast. She said treatment happened so fast she didn’t have ‘time to think about anything’. Thankfully, she received the all-clear from the doctors and continued her passion of acting. In fact, she filmed Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince during her treatment – and joked getting the wig to fit was easy. “I was like a boiled egg,” she said, according to Tim Teeman.

Maggie was also diagnosed with Graves disease, an autoimmune disorder that can sometimes lead to serious complications including heart failure. At just 33-years-old while working on the place ‘Lettice’, the actress started to experience a slew of unusual symptoms included irritated and bulged-out eyes that created a ‘frightening’ appearance.

According to the Express, Maggie said the condition, which came after a cycling incident that broke her arm, left her feeling like she’d been in a ‘fog of despair’. She received radiotherapy and optical surgery for the condition, keeping herself out of the limelight for an entire year to recover.

These experiences left Maggie accepting her mortality. “I was relieved to be the age I was, because by now you feel like it’s all over anyway,” she bravely said back in 2009. “That’s why I hated seeing young people receiving treatment [at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London]. I couldn’t bear that, it didn’t seem fair. To be honest, you feel so ghastly you wouldn’t mind dying a lot of the time.”

Maggie Smith Net Worth: How rich was the Harry Potter and Downton Abbey actress before passing away?

Downton Abbey and Harry Potter were her most important projects.

Maggie Smith was one of the most recognized and revered actresses of her generation, known for her work in film, television, and theater. Today, the unfortunate passing of the actress, who has captivated audiences of all ages through her artistic endeavors, was announced.

Due to her long acting career, Maggie Smith net worth is estimated to be around 20 and 40 million dollars; however, there is no exact figure available. A calculation can be made, taking into account the major projects in which she participated.

What were Maggie Smith’s most important films?

Since her beginnings in theater in the 1950s, Smith has accumulated vast experience and a series of acclaimed awards, including two Oscars, multiple BAFTAs, and Emmys. Her role in the Harry Potter saga as Professor Minerva McGonagall and her performance in the series Downton Abbey have significantly contributed to her popularity and financial success.

In addition to her acting income, Maggie Smith has also been involved in various projects and collaborations that have enriched her career. Her talent and versatility have allowed her to remain relevant in the entertainment industry, which has undoubtedly influenced her net worth over the years.

Taking all this into account, Maggie Smith’s net worth not only reflects her professional success but also the lasting impact she has had on the world of art and pop culture throughout her life.

Maggie Smith’s personal life: Family, children, partners.

Maggie Smith was born on December 28, 1934, in the Ilford neighborhood of London, England, in a family that valued education and creativity. Her father, a teacher, and her mother, a homemaker, instilled in her a love for the arts from a young age. Throughout her life, Maggie has been surrounded by an environment that fostered her passion for acting.

In 1967, she married actor and director Robert Stephens, with whom she had her two only children: Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens. Although their marriage ended in divorce in 1975, both children have pursued careers in the creative field, reflecting their mother’s artistic legacy. Today, her two sons are among the most recognized British actors.

Family has played a crucial role in Maggie’s life, supporting her career and providing her with a sense of balance amid her intense professional trajectory. Over the years, she has maintained a close relationship with her children, who have been her greatest source of pride and joy.

Every Maggie Smith film and series

Maggie Smith movies

1956 Child in the House
1958 Nowhere to Go
1962 Go to Blazes
1963 The V.I.P.s
1964 The Pumpkin Eater
1965 Young Cassidy
1965 Othello
1967 The Honey Pot
1968 Hot Millions
1969 The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
1969 Oh! What a Lovely War
1972 Travels with My Aunt
1973 Love and Pain and the Whole Damn Thing
1976 Murder by Death
1978 Death on the Nile
1978 California Suite
1981 Quartet
1981 Clash of the Titans
1982 Evil Under the Sun
1982 The Missionary
1983 Better Late Than Never
1984 Lily in Love
1984 A Private Function
1985 A Room with a View
1987 The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne
1990 Romeo.Juliet
1991 Hook
1992 Sister Act
1993 The Secret Garden
1993 Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
1995 Richard III
1996 The First Wives Club
1997 Washington Square
1999 Curtain Call
1999 Tea with Mussolini
1999 The Last September
2001 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
2001 Gosford Park
2002 Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
2002 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
2004 Minerva McGonagall
2004 Ladies in Lavender
2005 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2005 Keeping Mum
2007 Becoming Jane
2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
2009 Minerva McGonagall
2009 From Time to Time
2010 Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang
2011 Gnomeo & Juliet
2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
2012 The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
2012 Quartet
2014 My Old Lady
2015 The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
2015 The Lady in the Van
2018 Sherlock Gnomes
2018 Nothing Like a Dame
2019 Downton Abbey
2021 A Boy Called Christmas
2022 Downton Abbey: A New Era
2023 The Miracle Club

Maggie Smith TV Series

1955 BBC Sunday-Night Theatre
1956 Theatre Royal
1956 The Adventures of Aggie
1957 Sing for Your Supper
1957 Kraft Television Theatre
1957 ITV Play of the Week
1957 On Stage – London
1958 Armchair Theatre
1959 ITV Television Playhouse
1966 ITV Play of the Week
1967 Much Ado About Nothing
1968 Play of the Month
1968 ITV Playhouse
1972 The Merchant of Venice
1972 The Millionairess
1974-75 The Carol Burnett Show
1983 All for Love
1988 Talking Heads
1992 Screen Two
1993 Great Performances
1999 All the King’s Men
1999 David Copperfield
2003 My House in Umbria
2007 Capturing Mary
2010-15 Downton Abbey
2014 National Theatre Live: 50 Years On Stage

Maggie Smith tributes: Downton Abbey and Sister Act co-stars pay respect to Harry Potter legend

‘Downton Abbey’ co-star Hugh Bonneville says Oscar-winning Harry Potter actor was a ‘true legend’

Dame Maggie Smith’s Downton Abbey co-star Hugh Bonneville and Sister Act co-star Whoopi Goldberg have led tributes to the iconic actor after she died at the age of 89.

Bonneville, who starred alongside Dame Maggie in the ITV drama, remembered her as a “true legend of her generation” who had “sharp wit and formidable talent”.

Meanwhile, Goldberg called her a “one-of-a-kind” actor.

Dame Maggie played a number of iconic roles over the years, including Professor McGonagall in JK Rowling’s Harry Potter franchise and the fanatical teacher Jean Brodie in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie.

Her sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens announced on Friday the Oscar-winning actress had died in Chelsea and Westminster hospital.

A statement from her children said: “She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27 September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end.

“She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.”

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.

“We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”

Scraggly Maggie! Downton Abbey’s Dame Smith is taken away by ambulance while shooting scenes as a sick street beggar for Lady In The Van

It was an unpleasant sight to see a sickly Dame Maggie Smith being shuffled into the back of an ambulance on Tuesday.

Thankfully, she was busy shooting a dramatic scene on the set of her new BBC film, Lady in the Van, based on Alan Bennett’s autobiographical West End play that goes by the same name.

The 79-year-old actress has swapped her Downton Abbey finery for a less glamorous look as she embodies the character of eccentric homeless pensioner Miss Shepherd in the movie.

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Based on true events, for 15 years Miss Shepherd lived in a battered old yellow van parked on Bennett’s driveway in Camden, North London.

The playwright, who wrote about his experience and relationship with Miss Shepard in his diaries before sharing the story on stage, is played by Alex Jennings.

The flick, written by Bennett and directed by Nicholas Hytner, is their second collaboration since 2006’s The History Boys.  

A few weeks back, the iconic film’s breakout star James Corden was also spotted on the set filming a cameo role as a market stall vendor.

The almost unrecognisable Dame truly looked like a tramp in worn-out, frumpy layers of clothing.

Her greasy grey hair was ratty and unkempt and the luxury of make-up was forbidden.

A bright red blanket covered her lap as she was manoeuvred into the back of an ambulance in a wheel chair. 

Her appearance was enough to send a shiver down Violet Crawley’s spine. 

But it was all in the name of art and there are already high expectations for the film when it is released next year. 

Bennett described Miss Shepherd in his diaries as: ‘Nearly six foot, she was a commanding figure and would have been more so had she not been kitted out in greasy raincoat, orange skirt, Ben Hogan golfing cap and carpet slippers.’

After watching her suffer at the hands of children and drunken revellers, the playwright took pity on her and agreed to let her park her vehicle on his driveway – but he wasn’t happy about it.

Detailing his experience, he admitted: ‘It made me furious that I had been driven to such a pass. But I wanted a quiet life as much as, and possibly more than, she did. In the garden she was at least out of harm’s way.’

However, when she passed away in 1989, Bennett discovered that there was more to Miss Shepherd than he realised.

His ‘tenant’ had actually been a talented pianist who suffered a series of mental breakdowns. 

 

 

EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry’s team have told the WellChild awards that they are not allowed to inform the public or even those outside of a close-knit circle the location of this year’s event due to fears over the Duke’s security.

Prince Harry’s fears for his security have been amplified for his upcoming visit to the UK (Image: Getty)

Prince Harry’s fears for his security in the UK have been amplified after his team banned the WellChild awards from publicising Monday’s event location, Express.co.uk has learned.

According to a well-placed source, Harry’s team told event organisers that they are not allowed to inform the public or even those outside of a close-knit circle the location of this year’s event due to fears that the Duke could become a target.

“Harry is still very concerned about his security in the UK and his team have asked that the location not be shared with anyone until the day of the event,” said the source. “It’s one thing for Harry to come over last minute for a funeral or to see family, but completely different when the event is publicised and in the public domain.

“He [Harry] could become a target so the team have ensured that the location only be known on a need to know basis.”

The update comes after Prince Harry’s shock revelation in his memoir Spare that he killed 25 Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.

The source says it is that boast which has increased security concerns ahead of his trip to the United Kingdom on Monday.

“The reason why Harry has become such a security concern is due to comments he’s made about the Taliban,” said the source. “Because of those comments, he will always be a target. That’s something he only has himself to blame.”

Just last month, Prince Harry flew from his home in the US to join his brother at St Mary’s Church in Norfolk for the memorial service of his late uncle Lord Robert Fellowes.

The Duke stayed with his uncle Earl Spencer on the nearby Althorp estate.

It has been claimed that Harry didn’t receive the full support of the Home Office during his visit due to the trip not falling within the government’s 28-day notice period.

Prince Harry appeared on the Jimmy Fallon show in America this week where he was filmed swearing (Image: Getty)

“Harry can fly to the UK on a whim but he won’t receive the full support of RAVEC unless it falls within 28 days’ notice,” said the source. “There are exceptions made for last-minute unexpected events like funerals, but even then it’s rather low-key and details are kept under wraps.

“The reason why Harry was so keen to keep his last visit to the UK secret was due to his security.”

Prince Harry is set to go ahead with his Home Office security battle despite his recent visits to the UK without the full support of the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC).

It was revealed earlier this month that the Duke will press ahead after losing his “frankly hopeless” bid to appeal the decision earlier this year.

It is understood that a two-day hearing will go ahead in April next year in the latest dramatic twist to Harry’s three-year legal fight with the British government about his UK security.