Blake’s 7 villain Servalan dies of cancer at 74

BLAKE’s 7 actress Jacqueline Pearce has died aged 74.

Miss Pearce, who starred as villain Servalan in the BBC sci- fi show which ran between 1978 and 1981, had been diagnosed with lung cancer.

Famous for her short ‘ pixie cut’ hairstyle, her character, pictured, subjugated the galaxy while wearing evening dress and heels as Supreme Commander of the totalitarian ‘Terran Federation’.

Miss Pearce won further admirers in the sci-fi world for her guest role in The Two Doctors episodes of Doctor Who in 1985, opposite Colin Baker’s Time Lord.

Miss Pearce, who died at home in Lancashire, had recently been diagnosed, her friend John Ainsworth said.

Mr Ainsworth added: ‘She liked a glass of champagne and liked everyone to have a good time with her – and of course she was a brilliant actress and everyone who worked with her remembered her very fondly.’