Sheila MERCIEROriginal Emmerdale actress Sheila Mercier, famous for playing Annie Sugden on the show, passed away on 4th December, aged 100. Born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, the daughter of Herbert Rix (of J.R. Rix & Sons Ltd) and his wife Fanny. She was their third child and second daughter; her younger brother was the actor and campaigner Brian Rix. After education at the French Convent (Hull) and at Hunmanby Hall, she trained for the stage at the Stratford-upon-Avon College of Drama. Sheila shot to fame in popular ITV drama Emmerdale. Sheila was one of the first cast members on the soap when it launched as Emmerdale Farm back in 1972. She was cast as Annie Sugden and became known by millions for her portrayal of the soap matriarch.
The actress stayed with the show from 1972 until 1994, but continued to make guest appearances.
She notably returned for the funeral of Annie's son Joe in 1995, and was last seen onscreen in 2009.
Mercier started her career on stage as a Shakespearean actress before joining the RAF during World War II.
After the war, she returned to theatre before landing her big break in TV. Husband Peter Mercier passed away in 1993, leaving Sheila a widow after 43 years of marriage. The couple were parents to a son, Nigel, who died in 2017. In a tribute posted on social media, her former Yorkshire Television co-star Frederick Pyne said: "Sad to tell all you Emmerdale fans that Sheila Mercier ( Annie Sugden ) died peacefully in her sleep and she does not want a funeral.
"She would have been 101 years old on New Years Day.
"She was a great character and lovely to work with."
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