NOVELS

Actress Gwyneth Powell , who played head teacher Mrs McClusky in teen soap opera Grange Hill , has died aged 76.

The Manchester-born actress loomed over the series for 10 Years from 1981, as the stern-But -fair headmistress.

She also played Greg Davies ' mother Polly in the Channel 4 sitcom Man Down , and appeared in shows like Holby City , A Touch Of Frost and Heartbeat.

Her representative Matthew Lacey said Powell had died " of complications following a major operation".

He Said she " Passed Away peacefully" with her husband, actor Alan Leith, and niece at her bedside last Thursday.

" Gwyneth will be greatly missed by her adoring family and friends along with her many fans from multiple TV appearances, " he added.

Appropriately, given her most famous role, Powell initially trained as A Teacher before throwing herself into repertory theatre in the late 1960s.

She landed her first television role in the 1971 London Weekend Television drama series The Guardians - " which was lucky because I'd just got married" she later said.

" We'd bought A House But we had no way of paying The First month's mortgage, or indeed buying a Wedding Ring , "

" I wore My Mother 's Wedding Ring to our Wedding . . And Then I got The Guardians and we were secure. "

She continued to secure regular work in the 1970s, with recurring roles on shows like Z Cars, Dixon of Dock Green and Emmerdale - But her career accelerated after being cast in Grange Hill , about life in an Inner City comprehensive school.

" At first, Mrs McClusky was written as a 'twin set and pearls' role, But I was quite young at The Time and didn't want to play it like that, "

" We started with the clothes and she was quite fashion conscious and chic. I was told by lots of people she was a great fillip to Young Women teachers who started applying for headships. The Show had repercussions in all kinds of ways, and the character did too.

" My period did coincide with the Thatcher years. I think Mrs McClusky became memorable because we had a Prime Minister like that. "

She stayed in The Role for 11 series before asking to be written out, and always remained proud of its impact.

" It was The First series that dealt with real problems in a real way without being patronising, " She Said . " I'm not saying it would change society, But maybe it helped a lot of Young People . "

After leaving The Show , she bought the rights to EM Delafield's Diary of a Provincial Lady Novels - which explore The Life of an upper middle-class Englishwoman during The Great Depression - and adapted them into a series of successful one-woman shows.

Paying tribute to Powell, Patricia Hidalgo, director of BBC Children's and Education, said: " We Are very sorry to hear of the passing of Gwyneth Powell .

" Her famous portrayal of Mrs McClusky is one that will be fondly remembered by all those that grew up watching Grange Hill .

" Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time. "

Source of news: bbc.com