Margaret John

Gavin and Stacey star Margaret John dies

The national treasure, who played Doris in the Barry-set sitcom, is understood to have passed away in her sleep at around 2am this morning.

Peter Watkins-Hughes directed her in his bawdy comedy a Bit of Tom Jones.

He said: “She was the grandmother everyone wanted and a friend to everyone.”

She was understood to have celebrated her 84th birthday in December.

Margaret John (1926 - 2 February 2011) was a Welsh actress. When growing up she wanted to be a nurse or a vet but went to train at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art instead. In a career that spanned over fifty years, John appeared in some of Britain's most successful television shows, including Coronation Street, Dixon of Dock Green, Z-Cars, Doctor Who, Emmerdale, Last of the Summer Wine, Crossroads, Little Britain, and Gavin & Stacey.
Other notable television roles included The First Lady, The Troubleshooters, Menace, Softly, Softly, The Mike Yarwood Show, Doomwatch, Blake's 7, Secret Army, The District Nurse, Lovejoy, My Family, High Hopes, Tea and Biscuits with Maggie Pritchard and, on radio, Linda Smith's A Brief History of Timewasting. She played the part of Mrs Stone, the school secretary, throughout the original King Street Junior series on Radio 4.
John also appeared on television in The Mighty Boosh and as the frank librarian in Little Britain. She is perhaps most famous, however, for her role as Doris, the surprisingly blunt and sensual elderly neighbour of Gwen and Nessa, in the cult BBC TV series Gavin and Stacey. In September 2009 John appeared in the graphic short film "Cow" by director Peter Watkins Hughes warning of the dangers of texting while driving.
At the 18th BAFTA Cymru Film, Television and Interactive Media Awards on 17 May 2009. At the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay, in a ceremony hosted by Gethin Jones, John was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2009 John appeared in "The Vagina Monologues", when she had to fake orgasms, before which her last theatre production was in the 1980s in "Medea" at London's Young Vic Theatre where she played opposite Dame Eileen Atkins. John is to appear in the stage production of "Calendar Girls" at the Wales Millennium Centre from 27 July to 7 August 2010 and at Venue Cymru, Llandudno from 9 to 14 August 2010, alongside fellow Welsh actress Ruth Madoc, playing Lady Cravenshire, the judge of the WI’s cake competition.
John's husband was first violinist with the London Symphony Orchestra and performed with Frank Sinatra.