Diana rigg death cause

After learning her trade as theatre actress, Dame Diana Rigg, who has died at the age of 82, became a household name overnight by playing Emma Peel in The Avengers in the 1960s.

She appeared in 51 episodes of the British espionage show, which also starred Patrick MacNee (pictured above) as special agent John Steed.

In 1969, the classically trained actress played the part of Countess Teresa di Vicenzo - known as Tracy - in the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

In the movie, she became the first and only "Bond girl" to marry the secret agent, portrayed at the time by George Lazenby.

In the 1980s, she portrayed Lady Honoria Dedlock - opposite Robin Bailey as Sir Leicester Dedlock - in a TV adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel Bleak House.

The Yorkshire-born star won best actress at the Bafta TV Awards in 1990 for her role in Mother L