Yootha Joyce had a drinking problem

Press, 30 August 1980, Page 9

Yootha Joyce had a drinking problem

NZPA-Reuter London Mystery surrounds the death of Yootha Joyce, star , of the .television .comedy hit’ “George and Mildred” . She died on Sunday at a London clinic where she was being treated for a liver complaint, thought to have been hepatitis. An inquest was-. opened yesterday.’The \ case was listed at the court under Miss Joyce’s married name, Edwards, arid the cause of death given as: “Alcoholic portal cirrhosis of the liver.” - \ . ' The only evidence /of Identification was given at the /hearing - by Miss Joyice’s executor, the solicitor yMr Murray Uziell-Hamib >fon. - Asked after the hearing about the cause of death C-lie replied: “I do not think should comment on thar” Medical evidence will be igiven at a full inquest at oh September ’.'ls. ' But a medical expert “alcoholic portal cir-

rhosis of the liver—is normally associated with heavy drinking.. “Hepatitis, an inflamatiori of the jiveri- Is. one of the factors caused by cirrhosis.” ' .... The hews came as a shock to friends of the 53-year-old actress, who lived alone in Paddington. , Her close friend and agent, Joy Jameson, said: “I cannot believe it This will come as a phenomenal , shock to everyone who knew her.” . “No one had the least idea she was a heavy drinker. I never saw her drunk. “She 'would ; normally have two glasses of white . wine and would hot drink at'bll if she' was at functions. "■ “There was never anv complaints' about her riiissing work or her behaviour.”/ , Miss Jameson, a close friend for ; 12 .years,/said Yootha, a divorcee, xvas always full of life and had no apparent sadness in her life., “She had of friends and" she was a very

strong person.. The only thing, we ever noticed was how little and how infrequently she ate. “It was nagging from her friends about this that persuaded/her to go to the clinic; She .was due to undergo tests, but she died before she was , well enough to have them.” > Yootha was divorced from her actor husband, Glyttn Edwards, in. 1968 after 12 years of marriage. Two years ago, her affair with a production manager, Terry Dickson, ended. ;*

■ “Yootha still remained /friends with her ex-hus-band and she never; dwelt oh her friendship with Terry. She was very together,” Miss Jameson said. Miss Joyce died 18 days after entering the Harley Street clinic. Friends thought she was making a full recovery when her condition deteriorated. , Her body will be cremated in. north London on Tuesday. -