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The Friday's Girl star Sheila Mathews dies as tributes paid to 'longest serving performer'

Sheila Mathews, dubbed Britain's longest serving performer' has died aged 99, after a glittering career that spanned almost a century

[Sheila Mathews]

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Sheila Mathews and her husband Charles reading in 1957(Image: PA)

Sheila Mathews has died, aged 99. Having first performed aged three, Sheila's 96 years in the spotlight meant she was dubbed 'Britain's longest serving performer'.

The iconic actress and singer was best known for her appearances on the nightly music show Friday's Girl, becoming a household name to more than 12 million viewers. She was also at the launch of ITV back in 1955 and landed her own show the evening after. Across her career, she went on to be in popular soaps including Crossroads and Emmerdale.

The actress died on Tuesday after suffering a series of strokes, her long-term friend Michael Thornton said in a statement written on behalf of her family. Mathews made her stage debut at the age of three and had a career that spanned more than 90 years.

The statement said: Sheila Mathews achieved almost all of her career ambitions, but the last one eluded her. She wanted desperately to live to be 100 and to receive a royal telegram from the King.

She made it to 99, but then, sadly, her time ran out. Her daughter, Sally Reading, with whom she shared the family home in Southwick, West Sussex, was at her bedside when she died.

Intermission Magazine also shared the news of her death earlier this week: "We received the sad news that the multi-talented Sheila Mathews, whose career in the golden days of British entertainment was vast and varied, has died aged 99.

Neil Clark met Britains longest serving performer for our Intermission magazine and we present this in tribute to her remarkable life and career. Thank you for the memories Sheila. RIP.

Sheila first began performing on stage in 1930. By 1943, she was appearing on the West End alongside future comedy star Eric Morecambe, in Strike a New Note. Eric went on to be part of iconic comedy duo Morecambe and Wise, with Ernie Wise, but died in 1984.

Sheila was briefly engaged to a magician and entertainer called Peter Waring, but did not marry him. In 1957, Sheila married director Charles Reading, who was the only man to have directed the Duke of Edinburgh in a film. Charles died in 1999, aged 88. In the course of their 42 year marriage, Sheila and Charles had two children, Sally and Jane, who have survived her.

When she took on Friday's Girl, a show built to showcase her singing, Sheila became one of the first popular singers to top the TV ratings. She later added presenting as a string in her bow, by taking on shows such as On View, from 1957 to 1962, and later In My View.

Tributes flooded in for Sheila, including from former colleagues, friends and family. One fellow actress, Marianne Welsh wrote on Facebook: "Sheila played my mother in the musical The History of Mr Polly at the Churchill Theatre Bromley in 1977 and I often gave her a lift home to where she was living at the time in a house on the slope to Muswell Hill as I lived in Tottenham.

"I always remember how welcoming it looked with a lamp left on in the lounge. She was excellent in the show and a lovely lady and we used to have great chats on the way home."

A friend added: "I knew Sheila, a wonderful and forever beautiful lady. Heard the sad news this morning. Rest in peace my dear."

If you have been affected by this story, Cruse Bereavement Support offers free help to make sense of how you are feeling. Click here for their website or call 0808 808 1677.

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