Lynda Baron, best known for her role as Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in the BBC sitcom Open All Hours and EastEnders, died at the age of 82. On the 1970s hit TV show, she co-starred with Sir David Jason and Ronnie Barker.

Younger viewers may remember her as Auntie Mabel from the BBC children’s show Come Outside, which aired in the 1990s. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved client Lynda Baron,” her agent of nearly 30 years, Donna French, said in a statement.

“She was a wonderful actress and a great friend.

“Her iconic roles as Nurse Gladys in Open All Hours and Aunt Mabel in Come Outside were well-known to audiences of all ages.

“We have lost a leading light of our world, renowned for her leading roles in both West End musicals and dramatic productions.

“We send our heartfelt condolences to her daughter Sarah, son Morgan, and the rest of her family.”

On the BBC soap, she also portrayed Linda Clarke, Jane Beale’s mother. Lynda appeared in Doctor Who, Last of the Summer Wine, and Dinner Ladies, among other shows. She was nominated for a Bafta in 2011 for her role as Violet Carson in BBC Four’s The Road To Coronation Street.

She was also a stage actress, with roles in An Inspector Calls, Stepping Out, and The Full Monty.

Lynda married John M Lee in 1966, and the couple had two children, Sarah and Morgan.