Awful news breaking that Diana Rigg has died. Younger people will remember her from Game of Thrones or The Detectorists, and she was said to be an extraordinarily charismatic stage actress, but I will of course be in mourning for Mrs Peel.
I saw her at the National Film Theatre a couple of years ago for Q+A to mark 50 years of The Avengers and she was wonderful. Although she was in pain from a bad knee (daughter Rachael Stirling had to help her to the stage) she was full of life and gossip.
I may watch Theatre of Blood tonight. Diana spoke about that at the NFT and described how she played matchmaker for Vincent Price (‘I loved Vincent, but he was meaner than mouseshit.’) and Coral Browne (‘I don’t want much at my time in life dear, but I don’t half fancy that Vincent Price.’).
