Heartache for Miranda as best friend loses cancer fight aged 42
MIRANDA Hart has spoken of her shock and sadness after her best friend died from cancer at the age of just 42.
The actress and comedienne, 44, met Joanna Dugdale at drama school 20 years ago and they remained close.
They both starred in 2004 indie film Mothers and Daughters, produced by Lynda La Plante and screened at Cannes Film Festival.
But while Miss Hart became one of Britain’s best-loved comedy stars, Mrs Dugdale gave up acting and went on to work for a corporate speaking agency.
Last year the pair, who both studied at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts in London, spent a final weekend together at Miss Hart’s remote cottage in Sussex.
Days later, Cambridge graduate Mrs Dugdale was told that her breast cancer, which had been in remission, had returned and spread to her bones.
She died within three weeks, leaving behind a nine-year-old daughter.
Miss Hart, who has dedicated her new Comic Relief book – Miranda’s Daily Dose
‘I was proud of everything she did’
Of Such Fun – to Mrs Dugdale, told the Daily Mail: ‘ She was one of my dearest friends. 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.
‘I am sure she is laughing with me as I do the daily entries from the book!’
Mrs Dugdale, who lived in west London and was also a friend of comedian Jimmy Carr, split from her husband Roland shortly before her death last May.
Her stepfather Howard, 68, said: ‘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.’
Miss Hart was sadly unable to attend the funeral in person, but had written a eulogy to be read on her behalf. Mrs Dugdale’s mother Lorna, 71, said: ‘She wasn’t just a grown-up lady, she was my little girl, I grew up with her and I was proud of everything she did.’
In May, Miss Hart will make her West End debut as Miss Hannigan in the musical Annie.
She previously starred in her sitcom, Miranda, and in Call the Midwife, both on the BBC. In her latest book – a collection of daily tasks to improve mental wellbe- ing – Miss Hart opens up about suffering from anxiety.
She writes: ‘Life during times of acute anxiety has been like wading through treacle, and on bad days getting to the end of the street to post a letter was hard.’