Wendy Richard 'is dying of cancer'

4:10pm Monday 6th October 2008

Former EastEnders star Wendy Richard is dying of cancer and will marry her long-term partner before she dies, according to the Sunday Express.

The 65-year-old actress told the newspaper she has written her will and planned her funeral after being diagnosed in January with an aggressive form of the disease that has attacked her kidney and spread to her bones.

The star, who played Pauline Fowler in the BBC One soap opera, has twice been diagnosed with breast cancer.

She said: "I went for my usual annual check-up and they found that some cancer cells had returned in my left armpit."

The actress, who rose to fame playing Miss Brahms in Are You Being Served?, explained that despite being treated for the cancer it has spread through her body.

She added: "The drugs I was given to help had an adverse effect. If anything, they did more damage than good so my health has really deteriorated. Now I have a cancerous growth on my right kidney and the cancer has spread to my bones.

"Twice I've had breast cancer but this is different. It's more aggressive this time, unfortunately, and has spread to the top of my spine and left ribs."

She added: "My oncologist said I've got several useful years ahead of me but since then it's got worse."

Ms Richard will marry her partner, John Burns, before starting chemotherapy treatment on October 13.

She was awarded the MBE for services to television in 2000.