Victoria Wood dies aged 62 after cancer battle

She passed away at her home in London surrounded by family, her publicist said.

In a statement her older brother Chris said her death "has robbed us of one of the brightest talents of our generation".

"It wasn't just that Victoria was hugely talented in so many different fields, she was also outstanding in her tremendous, single-minded drive and determination to pursue her chosen career," he said.

Her long-time friend and comedy partner Julie Walters said she was "too heart sore to comment."