Anita Carey, Coronation Street star, dies at 75

British actress Anita Carey, best known for her roles in hit soaps Coronation Street and Doctors, has breathed her last at the age of 75.

The late actor's agent Katie Threlfall has confirmed her death but shared no further details. The actress had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, according to reports.

She was a TV comedy actress who built her career in Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads?, before turning to soap in 1978 when she was offered a role in Coronation Street.

Tributes have been paid to a "gifted actress" following the death of Carey, who played Vivien March in BBC One's Doctors for two years. 

In their tribute, the official Doctors X account (formerly Twitter) described her as a "gifted actress who breathed life into the beloved character".

Former Doctor's director Steve Hughes, who worked on the series between 2005 and 2010, was among those paying tribute to Carey, writing on Twitter: "Sad to hear that Anita Carey has passed. I really enjoyed working with her on Doctors back in the day."

Meanwhile, Doctors writer Roland Moore tweeted: "Saddened to hear about Anita Carey. She was a joy to write for as Vivien on Doctors and it was great to meet her once at the soap awards."

Carey's breakthrough role was that of Susan Chambers in Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? in 1973, the same year she met her future husband and fellow actor Mark Wing-Davey while she was playing Miss Heasman in the touring theatre show Butley.