Waterloo Road actor Lorraine Chesire has died aged 65, her partner has confirmed.
The late soap star’s partner, John Dixon, wrote on Facebook: ‘The love of my life passed away early this morning 46 years, and now my heart is broken. To the green fields beyond,’ in an emotional message.
After making her start in 1999 in the TV show, The Cops, she went on to star in Holby City, Early Doors and Life On Mars.
In 2007, she joined Waterloo Road as Fleur Budgen and appeared in several episodes over the course of five years.
In recent years, she has starred in Channel 4 series Ackley Bridge as Lorraine Bird and in hit comedy Trollied as Sue. Her last project before her death was a short movie called Incompatible in which she played the character Pauline.
Other credits included Casualty, Early Doors and The Royal.
Her Early Doors co-star Christine Bottomley shared an image of a lit candle, a glass of brandy and a Coca-Cola on her Instagram story alongside the caption: ‘No words today’.
Another industry friend, Anthony Crank, shared: ‘Just heard the horrific news that beautiful Lorraine has passed over. One of the kindest, funniest, beautiful and caring souls I ever had the privilege to know.
‘My heart goes out to John and all that knew her. This week is awful, just hell on earth. Please give your loved ones the biggest squeeze tonight. REST IN POWER YOU ABSOLUTE QUEEN.’
Trollied co-star Chanel Cresswell posted on Instagram: ‘I can’t quite believe I’m writing this. I’ll always cherish the advice you gave and the most wonderful friendship. The naughty laughs we had. The memories we shared.
‘Lozza thank you for being a friend to me. I’ll miss you so so much. I’m shocked, and so so sad. You was one of a kind. Rest in peace ‘
Fans also shared their own tributes to the British screenstar.
‘I loved Lorraine in EARLY DOORS. Absolutely brilliant [in] Trollied and Waterloo Road. What an actress. A big loss,’ mikepriestley13 said.
‘A warm and versatile actress, for me she’s most remembered for Waterloo Road and Ackley Bridge,’ Antony Corrigan added.
‘You really were such a kind, warm soul… thinking of all your family at this heartbreaking time. Goodnight,’ Charlotte Cresswell posted.
Born in Wythenshawe in Manchester, Cheshire started her acting career aged 38 and graduated from drama school a few years later.
‘Yeah, it was difficult with all the kids there, but after about a year I settled down and got on with it and got through it,’ she once said about starting later in life, crediting her husband for ‘encouraging’ her.
She described her first TV job as a ‘baptism of fire’.
‘The director had to tell me: “Lorraine, love, you don’t have to shout. We have a microphone!” I was so embarrassed, but he said don’t worry; you learn as you go along. It was real learning on the job and that’s what acting is,’ she recounted at the time.
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