Ruth Madoc, beloved star of the hit sitcom Hi-de-Hi!, has died aged 79 after a fall earlier this week. Her agent confirmed she passed away in hospital on Friday afternoon following surgery.
Iconic Role as Gladys in Hi-de-Hi!
Madoc was best known for playing the sharp-witted Gladys in Hi-de-Hi!, the classic British sitcom set in a 1950s-style holiday camp called Maplins. The show, created by Croft and Perry, earned her a BAFTA TV nomination for Best Light Entertainment Performance.
Her character’s unforgettable unrequited crush on the camp entertainment manager, played by Simon Cadell, and her quirky camp tannoy announcements with mini xylophone fanfare made her a fan favourite.
Long Career on Screen and Stage
- Madoc played Fruma Sarah in the 1971 film adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof.
- In 1972, she appeared as Mrs. Dai Bread Two in Under Milk Wood.
- She was a regular on BBC Wales’ entertainment show Poems and Pints.
- Her distinctive voice featured in the alien characters of 1970s Cadbury’s Smash adverts.
- She also had a cameo in the 1977 film The Prince and the Pauper (aka Crossed Swords).
Family and Personal Life
Ruth Madoc is survived by her son Rhys and daughter Lowri from her first marriage to actor Philip Madoc. She later married John Jackson in 1982.
