Cleo Sylvestre: Trailblazing actress dies aged 79

Trailblazing actress Cleo Sylvestre has died aged 79, her agent has confirmed.

She was the first black actress to play a leading role at the National Theatre, and to have a regular leading role in a UK soap opera, Crossroads.

Sylvestre appeared in TV series including Grange Hill and the Channel 5 reboot of All Creatures Great and Small.

Rolling Stones frontman Sir Mick Jagger said he was “so sad” at the passing of an “old friend”, “the first female vocalist to sing with the Stones”.

Sylvestre had a brief singing career, releasing a version of To Know Him is to Love Him in 1964, which featured The Rolling Stones as her backing singers. The actress had met the band at a blues night in Soho.

In an interview with the Masterpiece PBS TV series, Sylvestre said that her mother regularly cooked for the band.

“I mean, the Stones were always round, especially Brian [Jones] and Mick [Jagger],” she said.

“We lived in a council flat with a tiny little kitchen, and she’d do meals for 15 people.”

Sir Mick paid tribute to Sylvestre on Instagram with a black-and white photograph of her with the band and the words: “So sad to hear of the passing of my old friend, the actress and singer Cleo Sylvestre, the first female vocalist to sing with the Stones.”

Her agents Fulcrum Talent told BBC News Sylvestre would be “sorely missed by so many”.

Born in April 1945, Sylvestre grew up and was educated in Camden, north London.

She pursued a career in acting and made her West End debut at Wyndham’s Theatre in 1967’s Wise Child, written by Simon Gray.

The actress went on to become the first black woman to have leading role in a National Theatre production when she appeared in Peter Nichols’ satire The National Health in 1969.

Her screen credits included appearances in TV series Till Death Do Us Part, Doctors, Coronation Street, The Bill, New Tricks and Doctor Who, as well as a regular role in school drama Grange Hill.

She worked regularly with Ken Loach, on his first film Poor Cow and later on Cathy Come Home and Up the Junction.

After appearing in Some Women, a dramatisation of real-life stories from imprisoned women shown on BBC Two, she was spotted by TV producer Reg Watson, who cast her on ITV’s Crossroads.

She played Meg Richardson’s adopted daughter Melanie in the soap opera from 1970 to 1972.

Crossroads had about 15 million viewers at the time, and brought Sylvestre to a national audience.

Sylvestre was made an MBE in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to drama and charity.

Announcing her death, Sylvestre’s agent confirmed “with deep regret” the actress died on Friday morning.

“Much-loved and admired by her peers, she will be remembered as a trail blazer and a true friend. She will be sorely missed by so many,” the statement added.

“We ask that you respect the privacy of her family at this difficult time.”

Playwright and author Bonnie Greer led the tributes to Sylvestre on Twitter.

“The actor #CleoSylvestreMBE has crossed over,” Greer wrote. “She was one of the reasons that – from my vantage point in NYC – I thought that this country has the best anglophone theatre, and the best place to be a black woman in it. I still think that. Thank you, Cleo!”