Beloved British actor Miriam Margolyes has been left heartbroken following the sudden death of her close friend and fellow performer, Marian Diamond, at the age of 89.
A Sudden Loss for the Acting Community
The Harry Potter star, 85, shared the tragic news in an emotional Facebook post, revealing that Diamond passed away "very suddenly" at University College Hospital (UCH) in London. Margolyes described her late friend as "one of the angels in our business" and said she felt "utterly bereft" by the loss of a "unique spirit".
Margolyes and Diamond first met in 1968 at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, forging a bond that lasted over five decades. "I loved her from then on," Margolyes stated in her tribute, praising Diamond's character as "endlessly generous, interested in others and thrilled by their success." She added that her friend was "beautiful, gentle, full of fun, wise and perceptive."
A Storied Career on Screen and Radio
Marian Diamond enjoyed a prolific acting career that spanned more than half a century. Her screen debut came in 1958 with an appearance on the anthology series Armchair Theatre.
Throughout the 1960s, she became a familiar face on British television, featuring in popular shows such as Jackanory, The Avengers – starring Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg – and a Sherlock Holmes series with Douglas Wilmer in the titular role.
Her notable roles included starring in 12 episodes of the 1970s series Tightrope, which featured future Coronation Street star John Savident. In 1992, she was cast as teacher Mrs Shackleton in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside.
Diamond also possessed a distinguished voice-acting career, most notably voicing the elf-queen Galadriel in a celebrated BBC radio adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
Later Work and Personal Tributes
In the 2000s, Diamond made two final television appearances: in five episodes of the cult sitcom The Armando Iannucci Shows and an episode of the BBC soap Doctors.
In her Facebook post, Margolyes also noted Diamond's recent personal losses, revealing that her late sister, casting director Gillian Diamond, and close friend, actor Hugh Dickson, both died in 2018. Gillian's sons survive Marian.
"I hope they will share with her friends the funeral details," Margolyes wrote. "She deserves a full house. Marian, you’re held in my heart forever."
The news comes just a year after Margolyes, renowned for her witty and forthright commentary, publicly hit out at false reports in 2025 that claimed she was at "death’s door," reassuring fans that she was "very much alive." Her tribute to Marian Diamond now underscores the profound impact of a genuine loss within her circle.
