Avengers star Dame Diana Rigg has died, aged 82

10 September 2020, 14:55 | Updated: 10 September 2020, 15:18

Actress Dame Diana Rigg, best known for roles in The Avengers and Game of Thrones among many others, has died at the age of 82.

"She died peacefully early this morning. She was at home with her family who have asked for privacy at this difficult time," her agent confirmed.

Dame Diana Rigg famously played agent Emma Peel in the classic 1960s TV series The Avengers, and more recently won new fans as Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones.

She was also known for playing Tracy, the only woman who married James Bond, in 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

She also starred in ITV's Victoria, and currently appears as Mrs Pumphrey in Channel 5's new adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small.

In 1990, Dame Diana won a best actress Bafta TV award for her role in Mother Love. She also won a Bafta special award in 2000 for The Avengers, shared with Honor Blackman, Joanna Lumley and Linda Thorson.

She was also nominated for nine primetime Emmy awards, winning for her role as Mrs Danvers in 1997's Rebecca.

Rigg was married to Israeli painter Menachem Gueffen from 1973 until their divorce in 1976, and to theatre producer Archibald Stirling from 1982 until their divorce in 1990 after his affair with the actress Joely Richardson.

With Stirling, Rigg had a daughter, actress Rachael Stirling. She played Stirling's character's mother in the BBC sitcom Detectorists.