The soap opera stalwart Meg Johnson has died at the age of 86 after having had dementia “for the last few years”, it has been confirmed.

The death of Johnson, who had played Pearl Ladderbanks in Emmerdale since 2003, was announced in a joint statement from her family, the talent agency Jorg Betts Associates and the ITV show.

It said: “It is with great sadness that we announce that actress Meg Johnson passed away peacefully yesterday evening surrounded by her family. Meg was a kind and wonderful lady, full of warmth and always with a twinkle in her eye.

“Meg had an outstanding career that ended with her playing Pearl Ladderbanks in Emmerdale from 2003. Meg had dementia for the last few years, but battled on personally and professionally regardless.

“She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her.”

A host of soap stars paid tribute to Johnson on social media, including Danny Miller, best known for playing fan favourite Aaron Dingle in the long-running ITV soap.

The actor, who was crowned king of the I’m a Celebrity … Get Me out of Here! castle in 2021, tweeted: “Truly devastated to hear this. Pearl was a fair way to describe our lovely Meg.”

He added that she was “a loved soul throughout the building. Shared many laughs with her”

Gemma Oaten, the former Emmerdale star who played Rachel Breckle from 2011 to 2015, said late castmates Shirley Stelfox, Freddie Jones and Richard Thorp “will take good care of her up there”.

“Sending so much love to the Emmerdale family and family of the late and great Meg Johnson. A beautiful woman inside and out, who was always so kind to me during my #Emmerdale days,” she wrote on Twitter.

She added: “Such a sad loss, but what a life and what a treasure she was. She was always so kind (and wickedly funny!).”

Before joining Emmerdale, Johnson played Brigid McKenna in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside.

In the early 1980s, she starred as Eunice Gee in ITV’s Coronation Street, a character she briefly reprised in 1999. She was also part of the cast of Victoria Wood As Seen On TV alongside the late comedian as well as Dame Julie Walters and Celia Imrie.

In 1997, she took to the stage in the original cast of the London revival of Chicago, playing the prison warder Matron “Mama” Morton for more than a year, and can be heard on the London cast recording of the musical, singing When You’re Good To Mama; Me And My Baby and Class.

Johnson was married to the ITV Granada continuity announcer Charles Foster.

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