Former EastEnders star Melanie Clark Pullen has died at the age of 46 after a fight with breast cancer.
She played Pauline Fowler’s niece Mary Flaherty on the soap.
Melanie, who was diagnosed with the illness in January 2019, leaves behind her husband Simon and three children.
She had told The Irish News at the time: “I got the all clear. I’m cancer free, which is great, so now it’s all about recovery.”
But last June she announced she had been diagnosed with a brain tumour.
She wrote: “I was only given the all clear from cancer 18 months ago and it’s a cruel blow to think that I will now be starting into some kind of treatment again and that this time it will be long term and a permanent fixture of my life.”
On March 14, she posted a picture of herself smiling happily while visiting her family.
Alongside her EastEnders role, Clark Pullen also acted in a number of period dramas including ITV’s A Dinner Full of Herbs.
She also starred alongside Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville in the film Ordinary Love.
EastEnders fans paid tribute to the actress following her death.
Nroadcaster Maia Dunphy wrote: “Our funny, beautiful, eccentric, creative Goddess Melanie Clark Pullen is gone.
“What a force of nature, & most importantly, what a Mama. Your words and your babies live on. Our love and thoughts are with Simon.”
Her former EastEnders co-star Andrew Lynford tweeted: “How sad to hear we have lost one of the gang. RIP dear Melanie.”
