Heart attack believed to have claimed British actress Emma Chambers

The beloved star was famous for her work in The Vicar of Dibley.

Emma Chambers, the lovable star of The Vicar of Dibley is believed to have died from a heart attack. The British actress passed away at the weekend, aged 53.

Chambers became a household name playing the dimwitted Alice Tinker in the British comedy The Vicar of Dibley, which starred Dawn French. In 1998, she won the British Comedy Award for best TV actress for her performance.

Following her death, a statement was released from her agency stating that Chambers had died from “natural causes”.  John Plowman, the executive producer for The Vicar of Dibley has now revealed the actress may have died from a sudden heart attack.

‘”It’s no age to have a heart attack,” he told Britain’s Radio 4, noting how young Chambers was.

Plowman said Chambers was adored by the cast and crew on The Vicar of Dibley and praised her as an expert comedic actress who made “any part she played look easy”.

On Sunday her agency told The Sun in a statement she would be “greatly missed”, adding that “Emma created a wealth of characters and an immense body of work. She brought laughter and joy to many.”

Many of her friends and co-stars paid tribute to the actress on social media after hearing the tragic news of her death. Hugh Grant, Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson and Dawn French all shared stories about the fun they had working with Chambers. 

“I was regularly humped like this by the unique beautiful spark that was Emma Chambers. I never minded. I loved her. A lot,” Dawn French tweeted.

“Emma Chambers was a hilarious and very warm person and of course a brilliant actress. Very sad news,” Hugh Grant wrote.

Clarkson revealed he knew Chambers as a child having grown up in the same city.

“I’m sad about Emma Chambers. Knew her when she was a kid in Doncaster. She was very funny,” he said.

Chambers is survived by her husband, fellow actor Ian Dunn.

Were you a fan of Emma Chambers? Did you like her in The Vicar of Dibley?

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