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Ruth Madoc, a stage and screen actress best known for her work on the BBC sitcom Hi-de-Hi!, passed away at the age of 79.
The role of yellowcoat supervisor Gladys Pugh in the popular BBC One television series about a summer camp in the late 1950s made the actress a household figure. Her acting and singing roles have ranged from Fiddler on the Roof to Gypsy during the course of her career.
She assured supporters that she was recovering just hours before, stating, "Please don't worry! I'm okay and will return to normal shortly, but sadly, The Empress Gladys won't be appearing in the Christmas panto at Princess Theater Torquay this year!
Phil Belfield of the talent agency Belfield & Ward Ltd called Madoc "one of a kind and a unique talent cherished by many" in a statement. In Hi-de-Hi! from 1980 to 1988, Ruth Madoc portrayed Gladys Pugh.
Ruth passed away on December 9th in the late afternoon while recovering from surgery after a fall she had experienced earlier in the week that forced her to withdraw from the Torquay panto.
She was a true national treasure and can't wait to be back on the road in 2023 with The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. She was a true national treasure from film works like Fiddler On The Roof and Under Milk Wood with Richard Burton and her iconic TV performance as Gladys Pugh in Hi De Hi! Most recently in Little Britain and on stage with Calendar Girls (the play and the musical), plus recent acclaim in the shorts Skinny Fat and Cardiff.
She was a rare talent adored by many and a true legend of the British entertainment industry.
She left way too soon. Our hearts are torn apart!
"Our thoughts are with her son Rhys, her daughter Lowri, and their entire family."
The theatre group announced on Twitter on Thursday that Ruth Madoc would no longer be able to perform in this year's Aladdin pantomime at the Princess Theatre in Torquay due to an accident that occurred earlier in the week.
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