Honor Blackman, best-known for playing the Bond girl Pussy Galore, has died aged 94. The family of the actor, who became a household name in Britain in the 1960s as Cathy Gale in The Avengers, said she died of natural causes unrelated to coronavirus.

In a message her family said: “It’s with great sadness that we have to announce the death of Honor Blackman aged 94. She died peacefully of natural causes at home in Lewes, Sussex, surrounded by her family. She was much loved and will be greatly missed by her two adopted children, Barnaby and Lottie, and her four grandchildren, Daisy, Oscar, Olive and Toby.

“As well as being a much-adored mother and grandmother, Honor was an actor of hugely prolific creative talent; with an extraordinary combination of beauty, brains and physical prowess, along with her unique voice and a dedicated work ethic, she achieved an unparalleled iconic status in the world of film and entertainment, and with absolute commitment to her craft and total professionalism in all her endeavours she contributed to some of the great films and theatre productions of our times.” – PA