ITV Legend D!es Nearly Three Decades After Her Famous Husband
Sheila Mathews has sadly died (Image: PA)
ITV legend and singer Sheila Mathews has sadly died at the age of 99 – almost 30 years after she lost her famous husband. Sheila was best known for her appearances on her nightly music show Friday’s Girl, and was at ITV the night the network launched back in 1955, before landing her own programme the evening after. Dubbed “Britain’s longest-serving performer”, she was predeceased by her husband, director Charles Reading, who died in 1999.
Sheila began her acting and singing career when she was just three years old, and eventually reached 12million viewers with Friday’s Girl. She went on to present TV shows like On View and In My View, and even starred alongside Eric Morecambe on the West End in 1943’s Strike A New Note.
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Intermission magazine announced the tragic news this week, with a tribute that read: “We received the sad news that the multi-talented Sheila Mathews, whose career in the golden days of British entertainment was vast and varied, has died aged 99.
“Neil Clark met Britain’s longest-serving performer for our Intermission magazine and we present this in tribute to her remarkable life and career.
“Thank you for the memories Sheila. RIP.”
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Fans also rushed to pay tribute after the sad news broke, with one writing: “What a wonderful, beautiful, kind lady. One in a million. Heaven is lucky to have you.”
Tributes flooded in for the star (Image: Facebook)
Another said: “Amazingly talented lady. Not like these 15-minute one-trick ponies around these days that certain BBC newscasters insist on calling ‘iconic’. Sheila REALLY deserves such an accolade.”
Someone else penned: “Sheila always made me feel so special, warm and cared for when she called me darling, even if it was because she couldn’t remember my name.”
And a fourth echoed: “I knew Sheila, a wonderful and forever beautiful lady. Heard the sad news this morning. Rest in peace my dear.”
