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Sandy Ratcliff, who played Sue Osman's beloved character on the soap opera, was found in a North London retirement home on Sunday morning. Undated image
One of the members of the original EastEnders cast was found dead at the age of 70.
Sandy Ratcliff, who played Sue Osman's beloved character on the soap opera, was found in a North London retirement home on Sunday morning.
Sue was at the center of the darkest sad story British soaps had ever seen when her baby died of sudden death syndrome in June 1985.
When she and her husband, Ali, the owner of a cafe, finally had another child, their marriage broke up, Sue had a breakup and was severed.
Nejdet Salih, who was playing Ali, paid tribute to the mother of one of them last night.
"It's very sad. I remember the first time I auditioned for the show, we had this instant chemistry and these jokes, "he told the Sun.
"I remember going to his apartment to repeat lines and his son William and his boyfriend Tony would be there.
"She was a great mom. There was nothing that she would not do for William.
After leaving the series in 1989, Ratcliff became addicted to heroin and alcohol before retraining as a counselor.
She was removed from the soap opera after discovering her fight against addiction.
Ratcliff reportedly had other health problems, including a diagnosis of cancer and three strokes.
Following her death, a friend said that she had been drug-free for several years but that she had been forced to move to a nursing home because of her precarious health condition.
An ambulance spokesman said, "We have sent two unique car responders and an ambulance staff. Unfortunately, one person was found dead at the scene.
Osman played by Ratcliff at the beginning of EastEnders in 1985 alongside her husband on screen, the owner of the cafe Ali
The distribution of EastEnders celebrating the 15th anniversary of the show in 1985. Ratcliff is seen on the far right
Sue was at the center of the darkest story ever of British soap operas when her baby died of sudden death syndrome in June 1985. Later, she and her husband Ali (photographed in 1985) separated.
Ratcliff was first known as a model in the 1970s before being featured in the Ken Bachta nominated Family Life film, in 1971.
Before playing in his best-known role as EastEnders, Ratcliff played Crossroads as Barbara Parker, the youngest wife of Vince Parker, a regular in the series.
She has also appeared in BBC 2 versions of A Box Of Swan and Men Of The Month.
Ratcliff married photographer Peter Wright in 1968, but the couple was separated and in 1973 she had her only son, William, from director Terence Palmer.
One of his last public appearances took place at the Old Bailey trial of his boyfriend at the time, Michael Shorey, who was convicted of the murder of two women in 1991.
It then largely disappeared from the public eye and in 2005 it was reported that Ratcliff was no longer using heroin and was living with a £ 70 per week disability allowance.
His death was referred to the coroner, according to information.
Nejdet Salih, who plays Ali, paid tribute to the mother of one of them (here represented by Sue on East Enders in the 1980s). "It's very sad. I remember the first time I auditioned for the show, we had this instant chemistry and joking, "he said.
Ratcliff (second from left) with BBC controller Michael Grade and other members of the EastEnders cast. Undated image
After leaving the series in 1989, Ratcliff (seen in 1979) sank into heroin addiction before retraining as a counselor.
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