Prunella Scales, the actress best known for playing Sybil Fawlty in BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers has died at the age of 93.
Born in Surrey in 1932, acting was in her blood - her mother Catherine studied at the the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, later joining the Liverpool Playhouse's Repertory Company.
After finishing school Scales was awarded a scholarship to attend the Old Vic Theatre School and then quickly landed her first job as an assistant stage manager at the Bristol Old Vic.
She swiftly made the switch to acting, appearing in a range of films and stage plays throughout the 1950s, including The Matchmaker on Broadway and David Lean romanatic comedy Hobson’s Choice.
Her big break came in television starring opposite Richard Briers in sitcom Marriage Lines, while her national treasure status was secured playing Sybil Fawlty over two series of much-loved John Cleese comedy Fawlty Towers.
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It would be the role that she was destined to be remembered for, despite her long list of post-Fawlty big screen credits, including the likes of The Hound of the Baskervilles (1978), The Boys From Brazil (1978), The Wicked Lady (1983), A Chorus of Disapproval (1989), Howards End (1992), Wolf (1994), An Awfully Big Adventure (1995) and Stiff Upper Lips (1997).
Most recently she appeared alongside her husband of 41-years, actor Timothy West, in 10 series of Great Canal Journeys for Channel 4 until ill health forced her to retire from acting.
5. Prunella Scales on...her parents
"Dad was the generation that fought in both world wars, and people married rather later when they had been in the trenches. My mum was an actress and he saw her in a show in London and they married. She stopped acting when she had babies, which is a shame." | Getty Images
6. Prunella Scales on...her education
"In 1940 my mum took a job as under-matron at her old school, which had been evacuated from Eastbourne to Windermere; I got a bursary and spent eight years as a boarder. It was a smashing education; I regret being at a single-sex school, but I had a brother, so knew what guys were." | Getty Images
7. Prunella Scales on...her 'process'
"I'm afraid my own approach to everything is exactly the same: Who am I? What do I want? What are the circumstances - difficult or non-difficult? What are the obstacles, physical and non-physical? Finally, given who I am, the circumstances, the obstacles, what do I do? That's the only thing you do. You've got to do the action." | Getty Images
8. Prunella Scales on...theatres
"It breaks my heart to hear of our theatres struggling to survive. As well as playing a vital role in community life, they're guardians of our heritage and should be cherished." | Getty Images