Career: Richard's early TV roles included guest appearances in Hugh and I, The Arthur Haynes Show, The Likely Lads, Up Pompeii and On the Buses. She had a recurring role in the BBC's 1960s soap opera The Newcomers. Richard's big break came in 1972 when she began playing shop assistant Miss Brahms in the hugely popular sitcom Are You Being Served? She also featured in film versions of the sitcoms On The Buses (1971), Bless This House (1972) and Are You Being Served? (1977). Already a household name, Richard found further success as matriarch Pauline Fowler in BBC soap opera EastEnders, a role she played from the first episode in 1985 until her character's death in December 2006. Away from TV, Richard appeared regularly on the Radio 4 panel game Just a Minute. Richard died of breast cancer on February 26, 2009, at the age of 65. The last three months of her life were documented in the BBC programme Wendy Richard: To Tell You the Truth.