Glenda Jackson, Oscar-winning actress and former Labour MP, dies aged 87
Glenda Jackson, the Oscar-winning actress and former Labour MP, has died at the age of 87.
In a statement, her agent Lionel Larner said: “Glenda Jackson, two-time Academy Award-winning actress and politician, died peacefully at her home in Blackheath, London, this morning after a brief illness with her family at her side.
“She recently completed filming The Great Escaper in which she co-starred with Michael Caine.”
Sir Michael Caine and Jackson pictured together for their new film The Great Escaper
Jackson won the Oscar for best actress in 1970 for her performance as a headstrong artist in director Ken Russell’s adaptation of DH Lawrence’s novel Women in Love, and again three years later for romantic comedy A Touch Of Class.
However, she chose not to attend the Hollywood ceremony on either occasion. Despite her successful career in entertainment – she also won two Emmy Awards and a Tony – she said she never had any interest in the social and glamorous aspects of the industry, and devoted herself to politics in the 1990s.
She also once said she would “probably” turn down a damehood if she were to be offered one, because “what does it actually mean?”
Jackson was elected as the Labour MP for Hampstead and Highgate in 1992 and served as a junior transport minister from 1997 to 1999 when Sir Tony Blair was prime minister.
However, a return to acting – and awards – came after she stood down as an MP at the 2015 general election. In 2019 she starred as a woman suffering from dementia in Elizabeth Is Missing, and won a TV BAFTA for best actress the following year.
Pictured with her Oscar for Women In Love. Pic: AP
Tulip Siddiq, Labour MP for what is now the Hampstead and Kilburn constituency, is among those paying tribute following Jackson’s death.
“Devastated to hear that my predecessor Glenda Jackson has died,” she wrote on Twitter. “A formidable politician, an amazing actress and a very supportive mentor to me. Hampstead and Kilburn will miss you Glenda.”
Downing Street described Jackson’s death as “extremely sad news” and said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s “thoughts will be with her friends and family at this time”.
Pictured with Hugh Grant during a visit to the set of Notting Hill
Diane Abbott, who became a Labour MP in 1987, described Jackson as a “kind and extremely principled woman” in her tribute on social media.
Labour MP and shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell, who worked for and alongside Glenda Jackson, recalled the “incredibly kind” politician’s humour as she paid tribute.
“This is very sad news. In my early twenties I worked for Glenda, a decade later our MPs offices were next door,” she wrote on Twitter.
“She was always incredibly kind & supportive to me. I will also remember her cutting humour, general disdain at most things, all while smoking!”
Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson in The Romantic Englishwoman
Before her death, Jackson had been reunited with fellow double Oscar-winner Sir Michael Caine, who she last acted with in The Romantic Englishwoman in 1975.
Their upcoming film The Great Escaper is inspired by true events, telling the story of a Second World War veteran who escaped his care home in Hove, East Sussex, to attend a commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in France.
Born in Birkenhead in 1936, Jackson said she only started acting after she failed her school certificate, leaving her with no option but to start working at the age of 16.
While working at her local Boots store, she joined a friend at the YMCA amateur dramatics society and went on to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). She wrote to the prestigious school and was offered a place after auditioning, but could not afford the fees.
A manager at Boots wrote to the county council at the time and they local authority paid for her, paving the way for rise to stardom.
Her big break came in 1964 when director Peter Brook chose Jackson to play Charlotte Corday in his stage production
of Marat/Sade, which was set in a lunatic asylum.
As well as her Oscar-winning performances, Jackson also played Egyptian queen Cleopatra in 1971 for an episode of The Morecambe & Wise Show with comedy duo Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise.
Other notable film roles included John Schlesinger’s Sunday Bloody Sunday with Peter Finch, and she also portrayed Queen Elizabeth for a second time in Mary, Queen of Scots opposite Vanessa Redgrave in the titular role.
Oasis have said they are “shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic death of a fan” at their Wembley Stadium concert on Saturday.
Together with their bandmates, Liam and Noel Gallagher have offered their “sincere condolences to the family and friends of the person involved”.
Metropolitan Police said officers on duty at the stadium responded, alongside venue medics and the London Ambulance Service, to reports a person had been injured at around 10.20pm.
The statement continued: “A man – aged in his 40s – was found with injuries consistent with a fall. He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.”
According to media reports, the man fell from the stadium’s upper tier.
A concertgoer on social media said they saw the incident and described it as “horrific”.
Liam and Noel Gallagher on stage at their first reunion gig. Pic: AP
Metropolitan Police said: “The stadium was busy, and we believe it is likely a number of people witnessed the incident, or may knowingly or unknowingly have caught it on mobile phone video footage.
“If you have any information that could help us to confirm what happened, please call 101.”
Oasis performed at the venue as planned on Sunday night, delivering the final concert of a five-night run at Wembley.
Addressing fans at the stadium, singer Liam said: “This one’s for all the people who can’t be here tonight, but who are here if you know what I mean, and aren’t they looking lovely. Live Forever.”
The band then played the track of the same name.
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Oasis support act Richard Ashcroft paid tribute on Instagram, writing: “I was shocked to hear of the death of one of the audience last night sending my love to the family and friends.”
A spokesperson for Wembley Stadium said: “Our thoughts go out to his family, who have been informed and are being supported by specially trained police officers.”
They will then head to Scotland, Ireland, Canada and the United States, before returning to Wembley for two more dates in September.
The reunion tour began at the start of July and marks the Gallagher brothers’ first performances together since Oasis split acrimoniously in 2009.
The BBC has responded after it was reported that two Strictly Come Dancing stars have been accused of taking cocaine.
The broadcaster is said to have hired an external law firm to probe the drug-taking allegations, which a source said were “well-known” on the show, The Sun on Sunday reports.
The claims were reportedly made on behalf of celebrity contestant Wynne Evans in a legal submission to the BBC in March.
In response, a BBC spokesperson told Sky News: “We have clear protocols and policies in place for dealing with any serious complaint raised with us. We would always encourage people to speak to us if they have concerns.
“It would not be appropriate for us to comment further.”
Sky News understands that it is not unusual for the BBC to engage an external individual to provide additional expert resource to help deliver a BBC-led investigation. In these cases, they would report to an established BBC team.
PA file pic
The allegations published in The Sun on Sunday include a source saying that one Strictly star had told another about a third celebrity on the show: “Have you seen their pupils… they’re off their face.”
“The BBC have known about these allegations for some time, and acknowledged receiving them. Now they are taking firm action,” the source reportedly said.
The two individuals accused of drug taking have not been named.
It is the latest crisis to hit the BBC and Strictly.
In July last year, Amanda Abbington accused Strictly dancer Giovanni Pernice of “abusive or threatening behaviour”. The actress, who was paired with Pernice, withdrew from the show in 2023.
The BBC upheld “some, but not all” of the allegations, with Abbington describing an apology from the corporation as a “vindication”, while Pernice denied displaying “abusive or threatening behaviour”.
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Also in July 2024, Strictly professional dancer, Graziano Di Prima confirmed he was leaving the show amid reports of alleged misconduct.
Separately, Laura Whitmore alleged “inappropriate behaviour” during her time on the show.
In January this year, Welsh opera singer Wynne Evans made “inappropriate and unacceptable” comments at the Strictly Come Dancing live tour launch, for which he later apologised.
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