British actress Marian Diamond has died suddenly at the age of 89, her friend and fellow performer Miriam Margolyes confirmed in a social media post. Diamond passed away at University College Hospital in London on Monday, January 5.
Margolyes paid tribute to Diamond, describing her as “one of the angels in our business, endlessly generous, interested in others and thrilled by their success.” The pair first met in Edinburgh in 1968 at the Traverse Theatre and later worked together in BBC radio drama.
Diamond was known for her distinctive voice work with the BBC, including narrating episodes of Jackanory and voicing Galadriel in the 1981 radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. Her television credits included Play School, The Avengers, Sherlock Holmes, Brookside and The Armando Iannucci Shows.
Stage manager Paul Jackson also paid tribute, noting that Diamond had been battling health issues in recent years but was “thrilled to see her in December 2024.” He described her as “a gentle soul” who helped people beyond her acting work.
Diamond is survived by the sons of her late sister, casting director Gillian Diamond, who died in 2018. Margolyes called for a “full house” at Diamond’s funeral, adding: “Marian, you're held in my heart forever.”
