Former EastEnders actress Melanie Clark Pullen has tragically died at the age of 46 following a battle with breast cancer.
The tragic star - who played Pauline Fowler's niece - was diagnosed with illness in January 2019 - and sadly died on March 29 this year after rounds of radiotherapy.
She leaves behind her husband Simon and three children.
In 2020, Melanie was given the all-clear - telling The Irish News at the time: "I got the all clear. I'm cancer free, which is great, so now it's all about recovery."
But last June she was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
She posted on her website: "I was only given the all clear from cancer 18 months ago and it's a cruel blow to think that I will now be starting into some kind of treatment again and that this time it will be long term and a permanent fixture of my life."
Melanie kept her fans up to date with her journey, and posted about it as recently as March 14.
In her last post, the star can be seen looking full of joy as she visited her family.
She played the role of Mary Flaherty in the long-running BBC soap.
Pauline discovered she had a sister in Ireland in 1997 and the Fowlers took a trip to meet her.
Mary came back to live in Walford and was close to Pauline and her cousin Mark.
But that wasn't the only thing she had starred in, as she also made an appearance in Catherine Cookson's A Dinner Full of Herbs on ITV.
She also played a doctor in the film Ordinary Love - which starred Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville.
Tributes have piled in for the tragic actress.
Former EastEnders co-star Andrew Lynford, who played Tiffany Mitchell's brother, Simon Raymond, wrote on Twitter: "How sad to hear we have lost one of the gang. RIP dear Melanie."
Another shared: "Rest in Peace #MelanieClarkPullen your always be our feisty Mary from Walford. Sending love to your family & friends #eastenders."
Broadcaster Maia Dunphy wrote: "Our funny, beautiful, eccentric, creative Goddess Melanie Clark Pullen is gone. What a force of nature, & most importantly, what a Mama.
"Your words and your babies live on. Our love and thoughts are with Simon."
Another added: "Sad to hear that Melanie Clark Pullen, who played Mary Flaherty in EastEnders, has died aged 46. RIP."
