Avengers star Diana Rigg has died at the age of 82. We look back at her career on television, stage and film; from Emma Peel in 1965 to Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones 50 years later
Main image: Diana Rigg in The Avengers’ Series 4 opening titles Photograph: StudioCanal Films//Rex/Shutterstock
Thu 10 Sep 2020 09.47 EDT Last modified on Thu 10 Sep 2020 13.17 EDT
Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg was born in Doncaster, Yorkshire, on 20 July 1938. She trained as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art from 1955-57 and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1959
Emma Peel’s life is in danger as The Avengers try to thwart a plot to destroy Britain’s early warning radar system in episode The Gravediggers, aired 9 October 1965
As Célimène at the National Theatre in London. The following year the production of Molière’s play moved to New York City, where Rigg received a Tony nomination for her performance.
Vincent Price as Shakespearean actor Edward Lionheart, left, and his daughter Edwina played by Rigg, exact deadly revenge on a host of disparaging theatre critics, in this classic British horror film. Here critic Meredith Merridew, played by Robert Morley, is killed by force-feeding him his dogs
Diana Rigg in the lead role at Wyndham’s theatre in London. The production transferred to Broadway in 1994 and Rigg won the Tony award for best actress
Diana Rigg played Mrs Danvers, with Emilia Fox as the second Mrs de Winter and Charles Dance as Maxim. Rigg won the Emmy for outstanding supporting actress for her role in this TV adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s thriller
Rigg and Rachael Stirling appeared together in the Doctor Who story The Crimson Horror, set in 19th century Yorkshire, alongside Jenna-Louise Coleman, left, as Clara and Matt Smith as The Doctor
Rigg was nominated for the outstanding guest actress Emmy three times for her role as Olenna Tyrell, aka the Queen of Thorns, pictured here with granddaughter Margaery, played by Natalie Dormer
