Emmerdale legend Paula Tilbrook dies

\'Emmerdale\' legend Paula Tilbrook has died aged 89.

The actress - who portrayed loveable Dales resident Betty Eagleton in the ITV soap from 1994 to 2015 - passed away peacefully from natural causes a few months ago surrounded by her family.

According to Entertainment Daily, her family said in a statement via \'Emmerdale\': "The family of Paula Tilbrook are sad to confirm the peaceful passing of their beloved Paula.

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"She died of natural causes a few months ago at home with her loved ones beside her. The family respectfully requests privacy at this difficult time."

Paula\'s death, which was revealed in entertainment publication The Stage, comes after she departed the role of village gossip and sherry-lover Betty in May 2015.

But the character returned once more for a cameo appearance via video call on Christmas Day that year.

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As well as her love of gossip, Betty was best known for her relationship with Seth Armstrong, who was played by the late Stan Richards, who passed away in 2005 aged 74.

Betty was last mentioned on the soap in February this year when she rang Laurel Thomas (Charlotte Bellamy) to inform her that her father-in-law, Sandy Thomas - played by Freddie Jones, who passed away in July 2019 aged 91 - had died.

Following her 21 years on \'Emmerdale\', Paula retired from acting.

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She previously appeared in short stints on \'Coronation Street\', playing Estelle Plimpton in 1977, and Derbyshire pub landlady Olive Taylor-Brown in March 1980.

What\'s more, she starred as a third character, Vivian Barford, in March 1991 and July 1993, and played a customer on the cobbles in 1967 and 1973.

As well as soaps, Paul also appeared in TV series \'Tales of the Unexpected\' - which was based on short stories by Roald Dahl - in 1979, and she was dog-lover Mrs Tattersall in popular sitcom \'Open All Hours\'.