Grange Hill star Cleo Sylvestre dies aged 79 as tributes paid to trailblazing actress

20 September 2024, 19:14

"Trailblazing" actress Cleo Sylvestre has died aged 79
"Trailblazing" actress Cleo Sylvestre has died aged 79. Picture: Getty

By Will Conroy

"Trailblazing" actress Cleo Sylvestre has died aged 79, her agent has confirmed.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Sylvestre, also known as Cleopatra Palmer, had been a feature of film, stage, television and music since the 1960s.

She was the first black actress to play a leading role at the National Theatre, and to have a regular leading role in a UK soap opera, playing Melanie Harper in ITV’s Crossroads.

Crossroads had about 15 million viewers at the time, and brought Sylvestre to a national audience.

Sylvestre was the first black actress to play a leading role at the National Theatre
Sylvestre was the first black actress to play a leading role at the National Theatre. Picture: Alamy

Her film roles have ranged from the 2014 film Paddington and 1993's The Punk, while her TV appearances include The Bill, New Tricks, Till Death Do Us Part, Grange Hill, Doctor Who and Coronation Street.

A statement from Fulcrum Talent on Friday said: "It is with deep regret that I have to announce the sad news that Cleo Sylvestre MBE died this morning.

Read more: Body found in search for missing TV personality Katherine Watson

Read more: Sir Alan Bates slams government 'flimflam artists' for dragging out compensation for victims of Post Office scandal

"Much loved and admired by her peers, she will be remembered as a trailblazer and a true friend. She will be sorely missed by so many.

"We ask that you respect the privacy of her family at this difficult time."

Cleo Sylvestre has died aged 79
Cleo Sylvestre has died aged 79. Picture: Alamy

Sylvestre also sang as Cleo with the Rolling Stones backing her on a cover of To Know Him Is To Love Him in 1964 and continued to be a musician with her blues band Honey B Mama And Friends.

In 2023, she was at Buckingham Palace as she was made an MBE for services to drama and charity.

Her most recent screen roles included ITV thriller Platform 7, and Channel 5's revamp of All Creatures Great And Small.

Playwright and author Bonnie Greer paid tribute to Sylvestre on Twitter.

"The actor #CleoSylvestreMBE has crossed over," Greer wrote. "She was one of the reasons that - from my vantage point in NYC - I thought that this country has the best anglophone theatre, and the best place to be a black woman in it. I still think that. Thank you, Cleo!"

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Abdirahman Ibrahim has been convicted of murder after driving into the back of Liam Jones

Killer driver mows down e-bike rider to 'teach him lesson' for doing wheelies

The Vatican says Pope Francis is being treated for 'bilateral pneumonia'

New scans show Pope Francis has pneumonia in both lungs but Vatican says he remains ‘in good spirits’

Meghan

Meghan Markle could face 'legal action' from Spanish town as her new luxury brand logo faces resemblance to coat of arms

The father of murdered schoolgirl Sara Sharif is reportedly being protected by a 'Muslim gang'

Sara Sharif's father protected by 'Muslim gang' in jail after being attacked with jagged tuna lid

Zhenhao Zou is accused of raping three women in London and 7 in China, whilst they were unconscious

PhD student 'discussed rape role-play' with alleged victim, trial hears

Exclusive
Senior Tories including Suella Braverman and Michael Gove have criticised the judge's comments

Senior Tories blast 'out of touch' judge for 'ludicrous attack' on Starmer’s migrant remarks

Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, died in an airstrike, Hamas said

Bodies of youngest Israeli hostage Kfir Bibas and his brother and mother to be handed over as family ‘in turmoil’

Lisa Smith, 43, was with a female friend when she was killed outside the Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, Kent

Man suspected of fatally shooting wife outside pub on Valentine's Day rang friend and said 'she's dead'

Carry On legend Julian Holloway dies aged 80

Carry On legend Julian Holloway dies aged 80 after 'brief illness' as tributes pour in

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned 'any appearance by armed forces under some other flag' in Ukraine would be 'completely unacceptable', in a dig at a peace plan floated by Keir Starmer.

Keir Starmer’s Ukraine peacekeeping plan ‘completely unacceptable’, Russia tells US in Saudi Arabia talks

Rita Lambourne, 58, was “fatally wounded” at her home in Bayencourt South, Bexhill

Man charged with axe murder of woman in own home

Lydia Mugambe is accused of taking 'advantage of her status'

UN judge ‘trafficked woman to UK to be her slave'

Anonymous posters have appeared in Hampstead Heath, a park in north London, calling for gay men to stop using the park for sex.

'Take back Hampstead Heath', dog walkers urged as posters appear calling for men to stop using park for sex

Gavin Nicholls was tackled to the ground by a plain-clothed officer outside the Co-op in Barnet

Moment serial shoplifter is tackled off e-scooter by police as he flees store in north London

The plane, which was carrying 80 people, slid down onto the icy runway at Toronto Pearson International Airport before bursting into flames

Horrifying video shows moment Delta plane crashes on tarmac and bursts into flames at Toronto airport

Healey's comments came following Russia-US Peake talks in Saudi Arabia.

UK facing 'new era of threat' from Russia, Defence Secretary says as he unveils ‘biggest military shake up in 50 years’