Helen Griffin 1958 - 2018

The actress and playwright Helen Griffin has died at the age of 59.

Helen Griffin appeared in the 2006 stories Rise of the Cybermen and The Age of Steel, playing Angela Price, known as Mrs Moore, who joined The Tenth Doctor and Rose in the fight against Cybus.

Griffin was born in Swansea in south Wales. She initially studied to be a psychiatric nurse at nursing college alongside comedienne Jo Brand and was a psychiatric nurse until 1986, when her passion for acting took over.

She is best known for playing the masseuse Lynette in the Welsh cult classic Twin Town, a 1997 British dark crime comedy-drama film filmed and set in Swansea.

Her first full-length play was Flesh and Blood, which she adapted into the screenplay for the film Little White Lies , in which she also starred, winning a Welsh BAFTA for her performance.

Griffin also appeared at The Edinburgh Fringe festival, alongside former collogue Jo Brand, in a collaborated play called Mental, based on their experiences as psychiatric nurses. Other television appearances include The Sherman Plays, Mortimer's Law, A Mind to Kill, Prime Suspect, The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle, Casualty, Gavin & Stacey, Criminal Justice, Coronation Street and Going Forward.

In a statement, her agent said Helen Griffin died peacefully on Friday night surrounded by her loved ones. Twin Town director Kevin Allen said: