Emmerdale and Hollyoaks star dies aged 80

**Georgina Hale has died aged 80 (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)**

At the age of 80, legendary actress Georgina Hale passed away.

Georgina Hale, who starred in Hollyoaks and Emmerdale, is said to have passed away on January 4.

She was a well-known actress from the theatre and stage, having appeared in shows ranging from Doctor Who to One Foot in the Grave.

The actress was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for the original London production of Steaming and won a Bafta for her role in Mahler in 1974.

The actress’s admirers have paid respect to her on social media, with Talking Pictures, a vintage movie channel, saying on X that the actress had “gone to the great cinema in the sky.”

Georgina will be much missed; she was so much more than just “Mrs. Budgie” to us.

**The actress was given a myriad of awards through her 50-year career (Picture: Fremantle Media/Shutterstock)**

**Fans have flooded social media with tributes (Picture: Getty)**

John J. Johnston, who described her as a “wonderfully idiosyncratic performer with a film and television career,” expressed his sadness at learning of her passing.

In a heartfelt statement, the official Bafta X account expressed their sadness at Georgina Hale’s loss. Renowned for her accolade-winning performances in Ken Russell films, she won the 1975 Most Promising Newcomer To Leading Film Roles award.

“RIP, Georgina Hale, the wonderful and unique,” Colin Baker remarked. Sadly, I never collaborated with her, but I adore her art. She was my junior by two months!

In the historical drama Eagle In A Cage from 1971, she made her acting debut opposite Kenneth Haigh in the roles of Betsy Balcombe and Napoleon Bonaparte, respectively.

In 2006, Hale played Beryl Chugspoke in four episodes of Emmerdale. She also made her last appearance in a soap opera as Blanche Longford on Channel 4’s Hollyoaks.

In 2016, she made another appearance in Holby City.