https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-8269499/The-Gentle-Touch-actress-Jill-Gascoine-dead.htmlThe Gentle Touch actress Jill Gascoine dies aged 83: British actress loses 10-year battle with Alzheimer's disease as family say they are 'relieved she is not suffering anymore'
The British actress played Detective Inspector Maggie Forbes in 1980s TV series The Gentle Touch and starred in spin-off show C.A.T.S. Eyes
Her son Adam confirmed her death, writing on Facebook on Wednesday: 'She suffered from Alzheimer’s for 10 years, so today was a thankful release'
The family will not be holding a memorial for a while due to the current coronavirus climate
Jill has two sons, Adam and Sean from her first marriage but second husband Alfred Molina adopted them
He has a daughter Rachel from a previous relationship
Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
By Rebecca Davison for MailOnline
Published: 14:29, 29 April 2020 | Updated: 16:27, 29 April 2020
Jill Gascoine has died aged 83 following a ten-year battle with Alzheimer's disease as her family says they are 'relieved she is not suffering anymore.'
The British actress, best known for her TV role as Detective Inspector Maggie Forbes in 1980s TV series The Gentle Touch, and spin-off C.A.T.S. Eyes and The Onedin Line, was married to fellow TV star, Alfred Molina, 66. Her son Adam confirmed her death, writing on Facebook on Wednesday morning: 'She suffered from Alzheimer’s for 10 years, so today was a thankful release. 'The family is all well and relieved that she’s not suffering anymore. 'Due to the coronavirus pandemic, there will not be a memorial for Jill who lived in a care home in Los Angeles in the later stages of her life "for a good while", but the family are planning services in the US and UK.'
Adam added: 'There will not be a memorial for a good while due to the current climate. The family will reach out once the details have been arranged. We will likely hold 2 services one in London for the UK friends and family, and one in Los Angeles for the US side. She was a wonderful human and a spirit of truth and absolute, unconditional love. There was no other. I am happy she’s moved on. Please raise a glass. Be kind and love deeply (sic)"'
Her stepdaughter Rachel Molina, Alfred's daughter from a previous relationship with an ex, Sue, also paid tribute to Jill. She wrote on Instagram: 'We lost someone very special in our family in the early hours of this morning. My beautiful step mum Jill. She passed away peacefully after living with Alzheimer's for 10yrs. Before this, she was the most wonderful actress and dancer. Her death is not a surprise, and as her son, Adam says it's a thankful release from what is a brutal disease. I love this photo of her with her sons Adam and Sean. She was always so beautiful inside and out, and the best step mum I could have asked for (sic)'
Jill and Alfred married in 1986 and he was 16 years her junior. He adopted her sons, Adam and Sean, from her first marriage to Dundee hotelier Bill Keith. In the 1990s, Jill and Alfred moved to Los Angeles. She recovered from a battle with kidney cancer in 1997 after it was detected in its early stages. In 2009, she was due to join EastEnders as Glenda Mitchell - the mother of Roxy and Ronnie Mitchell but later withdrew from the role and it was re-cast, with Glynis Barber taking on the part. Speaking about the role, Jill previously said: 'Having spent the last 15 years working in America I felt on arrival I lacked the right experience to film such a big continuing drama. I have tremendous respect for EastEnders and the cast so I don't want to let the show or my fellow cast members down.'
In the later stages of her career, she became a novelist and published three books. It was widely reported that she suffered from depression for most of her life. In 2016, husband Alfred, who played Doctor Octopus in Spiderman 2, confirmed his wife was 'in a very advanced stage' of Alzheimer's disease
