Coronation Street and Doctors star Anita Carey dies aged 75 after battle with breast cancer

Beloved British soap star Anita Carey has died at the age of 75 after a battle with breast cancer.

Carey, who played Brenda Summers and Joyce Smudley in Coronation Street between 1978 and 1997, passed away last month after first being diagnosed with the illness in 2010. She also starred as Vivian March in BBC show Doctors from 2007 to 2009.

Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, in 1948, Carey made her name as an actress performing in comedies like I Didn't Know You Cared in the early 70s. Before she moved over to more dramatic roles, she was famed for her performances in The Spoils of War in 1980 and 1981, as well as political drama First Among Equals in 1986.

Away from the small screen, she was married to British actor and director Mark Wing-Davey. The pair met at a production of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde at the Sheffield Crucible in 1973. The happy couple married in 2002 and have two children: Zanna and Isabella, before relocating to the US where she appeared in a number of stage shows and became chair of the graduate acting programme at New York University in 2008.

Tributes have been pouring in for the Corrie star, with one fan penning on Twitter: "Really sad to read about the death of Anita Carey. I remember watching her in Doctors and she was incredible during Vivian's rape story, which rightfully won awards. A brilliant actress. RIP."

Another wrote: "Saddened to hear about Anita Carey. She was a joy to write for as Vivien on Doctors and it was great to meet her once at the soap awards," while a third added: "Very sad news about the fabulous Anita Carey. A very deserving winner of Dramatic Performance at the @SoapAwards. Always a joy to talk to."