Miranda Hart reveals ‘shock’ of losing best friend to cancer just weeks after disease returns

The comic actress spent one last weekend with her longtime friend before she died last year 
Sad loss: Miranda Hart describes her 'shock' at losing her best friend to cancer
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Jennifer Ruby3 April 2017
The Weekender

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Miranda Hart has told of her ‘shock’ at losing best friend Joanna Dugdale to cancer just a few weeks after she found out the disease had returned.

The popular actress and comic spent one last weekend with her ‘dearest’ friend before she died at the age of 42 last year.

“I met Joanna at drama school 20 years ago and she was one of my dearest friends,” Hart told the Daily Mail.

“To lose her last year was a huge shock. I dedicated my Comic Relief book to her as she loved the idea of it - she had a determined positive outlook on life - and gave me a couple of ideas for it.”

Passed away: Joanna Dugdale lost her battle with breast cancer last year 

She added: “I am sure she is laughing with me as I do the daily entries from the book!”

Hart and Dugdale became friends after meeting at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts in London two decades ago.

They starred opposite each other in 2004 film Mothers and Daughters, after which Dugdale left the profession.

Dugdale and Hart spent a weekend together at her Sussex cottage after she was told she was in remission, only to find out the cancer had returned just a week later.

Speaking about Hart’s eulogy at the funeral, Dugdale’s stepfather, Howard, said: “At the funeral, Miranda had a very funny eulogy about Joanna taking the p*** out of her and calling her a party pooper because they were both sitting in their pyjamas and dressing gowns instead of being out clubbing.

“Joanna was saying, “If it was up to me, we’d be out clubbing!” It was a very funny remembrance of their last weekend together.”

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