Dame Diana Rigg: Actress dies aged 82

Image copyright EPA Image caption Dame Diana was given a special award last year at the Canneseries TV festival

Actress Dame Diana Rigg, famous for roles including Emma Peel in TV series The Avengers and Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones, has died at the age of 82.

"She died peacefully early this morning. She was at home with her family who have asked for privacy at this difficult time," her agent said.

Dame Diana is also known for playing Tracy, the only woman who became Mrs James Bond, in 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

She also appeared in ITV's Victoria.

She played the Duchess of Buccleuch in the royal drama, and can currently be seen playing Mrs Pumphrey in Channel 5's new adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small.

Image copyright HBO/Kobal/Shutterstock Image caption Olenna Tyrell made her final appearance in Game of Thrones last year

Last year she spoke of her delight at her role in Game of Thrones, telling the BBC: "I love playing bad [characters]. They are so much more interesting than good.

"There are some actors who don't like to play bad; they like to be liked. I love to be disliked. Olenna had the best lines."

In 1990, Dame Diana won a best actress Bafta TV award for playing a difficult mother-in-law in Mother Love. She also won a Bafta special award in 2000 for The Avengers, shared with the series' other stars Honor Blackman, Joanna Lumley and Linda Thorson.

Dame Diana was also nominated for nine primetime Emmy awards, winning for her role as Mrs Danvers in Rebecca in 1997.