Stars pay tribute to Cilla Black

Referring to the star by her real name Priscilla White, police in Malaga said Black had died in Estapona in the Costa del Sol region.

The death was discovered overnight and appeared to be due to natural causes, but this had not yet been confirmed by tests, police said.

Black, instantly recognisable thanks to her red hair and Liverpool accent, was a 1960s pop star and friend of the Beatles who reinvented herself as a hugely successful TV presenter in the 1980s.

Tributes from the stars

Celebrities have taken to Twitter to pay tribute to Black, with Joan Collins writing: “I am so sad and shocked by news about my good friend Cilla. She was a resplendent and rare talent. RIP.”

The new host of Surprise Surprise – the ITV show first presented by Black in the mid-80s – said: “So so sad to hear the news that we have lost one of my heroes, Cilla you were one incredible lady! Sending all my love to her family. X”

Television presenter Carol Vorderman wrote: “Deeply shocked to learn that Cilla has passed away. I hope you are now at peace lovely lady. Thank you for the lunches and the laughs x”

Comedian Paul O’Grady told the Liverpool Echo: “We’ve been friends for nearly 20 years. She’s like my sister.

“Apart from her hearing, she was all right. We had a week together in Barbados at the beginning of the year and I saw her on my birthday.

“I thought she was well. I can’t believe it to tell you the truth.”

Cloakroom to stage

Cilla worked as a cloakroom attendant at Liverpool rock club The Cavern, where she soon began singing on stage, coming to the attention of local stars The Beatles.

She was introduced to the Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein by John Lennon, who persuaded him to audition her. In September 1963, Epstein signed her up as his only female client.

Her debut single, Love of the Loved, written for her by Lennon and McCartney, failed to top the charts.

But her second single, the Bacharach and David song Anyone Who Had A Heart, shot to Number One and became the biggest-selling single by a female artist in the history of British popular music.

Cilla had 20 consecutive Top 40 hits on the British charts, including 11 top ten singles and two consecutive number ones in 1964.

Her hits included You’re My World, Alfie, the theme song from the Michael Caine film of that name, and Step Inside Love.

She moved into TV in 1967, commanding audiences of 22 million with her BBC variety show.

Blind Date (1985-2003), Surprise! Surprise! (1984-1999) and Moment of Truth (1998-2001) enjoyed long and successful runs.

Cilla was awarded an OBE in 1997 and a Bafta Special Award in 2014.