Elisabeth Kelly, former ‘EastEnders’ star, dies aged 104

Elizabeth Kelly, the veteran actor best known for playing the sharp-tongued Nellie Ellis in EastEnders, has died at the age of 104, her representatives have confirmed.

Kelly died peacefully in Scarborough on December 31, according to her agent, Scott Marshall Partners. Her television career spanned more than 40 years, with her most recognisable role coming as Pauline Fowler’s outspoken relative on the BBC soap.

In a statement, her agent said Kelly “enjoyed an illustrious career spanning many decades” but was “probably best known as Auntie Nellie in EastEnders”.

The show also paid tribute, saying those who worked with Kelly “will remember her fondly for her warmth and kindness”, adding that their thoughts were with her family and friends.

Born in Newcastle, Elizabeth Kelly began her acting career in the late 1960s and quickly became a familiar face on British television. In 1971, she appeared in Coronation Street, playing the character Edie Burgess.

She went on to feature in a range of popular drama series, including The Bill and Where the Heart Is, building a steady television career long before her arrival in Albert Square.

Kelly joined EastEnders in 1993 as Nellie Ellis, a no-nonsense and often meddlesome relative of Pauline Fowler. Her sharp wit and blunt delivery quickly made the character memorable with viewers.

She played the role until 1998 before returning for a final appearance in 2000 for the funeral of long-running character Ethel Skinner.

In a further statement, EastEnders said: “Elizabeth Kelly created a wonderful character in Nellie Ellis, and it is with great sadness that we learn of her passing.”

Kelly’s death marks the loss of one of British television’s longest-lived performers, whose career stretched across generations and some of the UK’s most enduring drama series.