Una Stubbs, known for her roles on British television shows like the BBC's Sherlock, has passed away at the age of 84. Born on May 1, 1937, Stubbs got her start as the cover girl for Dairy Box chocolates. Her first major film role arrived in 1963, when she played Sandy in Cliff Richards' Summer Holiday, which became the first of many collaborations between the two. From there, she continued to appear in film and on television. She was a part of the main cast of the hit series Till Death Us Do Part, as well as its various follow-ups.
Stubbs was also known for her theater work, having appeared in a number of productions over the years. She was a part of the original cast of the acclaimed play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at the National Theatre, where she was also a part of NT Live productions such as Les Liaisons Dangereuses. To international audiences, Stubbs was best known for playing kindhearted landlady Mrs. Hudson opposite Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman on Sherlock. Her other television credits included EastEnders, Worzel Gummidge and The Worst Witch.
On Thursday, Stubbs' agent Rebecca Blond confirmed the veteran actress has passed away (via BBC). According to Blond, Stubbs had been ill for the past few months. Her sons Joe and Christian Henson and Jason Gilmore said in a statement, "Mum passed away quietly today with her family around her, in Edinburgh. We ask for privacy and understanding at this most difficult and sad of times." Blond added in a statement of her own:
"We are desperately sad to have lost not only a wonderful actress, whose screen and stage career, spanning over 50 years, was so extraordinarily varied, from Till Death Us Do Part to Sherlock, as well as memorable performances in the West End, at the Old Vic, Donmar Warehouse, Sheffield Crucible and National Theatre, but also a wickedly funny, elegant, stylish, graceful, gracious and kind and constant friend. She was also a highly respected and exhibited artist."
Tributes have begun to arrive from across the internet, with Sherlock co-creator Mark Gatiss writing on social media, "It was one of the great joys of my life to work so closely with and to adore Una Stubbs. She was a wonderful, wonderful woman and a great and serenely graceful actor." The Worst Witch actress Jessica Fox also described Stubbs as being "so kind and caring of the younger cast." By all accounts, Stubbs was a sweet woman who brought warmth to every production she was a part of. That personality seemed to shine through in her performance as Mrs. Hudson on the BBC's Sherlock; even despite all the crazed antics she had to put up with, she treated Sherlock and John with such affection.
Stubbs' last onscreen performance came in the 2017 television movie Murder on the Blackpool Express, a comedic riff on Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express (and the Kenneth Branagh adaptation that arrived the same year). From that movie all the way back to her first, Summer Holiday, Stubbs was a delightful onscreen presence. She will surely be remembered for her impressive and varied career, as well as her wonderful personality. Her fans will always be grateful for the works she gave them, and she won't be forgotten any time soon.
Source: BBC, Mark Gatiss, Jessica Fox