Pop icon Marianne Faithfull dies aged 78

Singer and actress Marianne Faithfull has died at the age of 78, her spokesperson has said.

Tributes have poured in for the star whose hits included As Tears Go By, which was written by The Rolling Stones' Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

Alongside her music career, Faithfull also acted in films including The Girl on a Motorcycle, as well as theatre productions.

In recent years, her voice was used in the 2021 remake of Dune and 2023's Wild Summon. 

The statement from her spokesperson read: 'It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull.

'Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed.'

Paying tribute on X, JK Rowling posted picture of Faithfull's album cover Broken English with the caption: 'One of my favourite albums of all time. RIP Marianne.'

The critically acclaimed album, released in 1979, was widely seen as a comeback for the singer after years of suffering from heroin addiction and homelessness. 

Bianca Jagger, who was married to Mick from 1971 until 1978, said: 'I am deeply saddened to learn that Marianne Faithfull has passed away. 

'She was a wonderful singer and a talented actress. She will be greatly missed. My thoughts and prayers are with her son, her family and loved ones.'

Tony Blackburn OBE added: 'Sorry to hear that 69's singer Marianne Faithfull has died at the age of 78. 

'She gave us some great songs to play. R.I.P.'

Singer and songwriter Tim Burgess said Faithfull's album Broken English 'blew his mind' when he first heard it on a school trip in 1980 in a tribute on X. 

He added: 'She was such a free spirit and true talent. We met in Amsterdam in 1994 and spent an afternoon chatting and in between interviews - going to listen to Why D’Ya Do it, right now.'

Faithfull began her singing career in 1964, after being discovered by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham.

She released her self-titled debut album in 1965, which featured her UK number nine hit single, along with number four hit Come And Stay With Me, at the same time as follow-up LP Come My Way, largely made up of folk covers.

From 1966 to 1970, Faithfull was in a highly-publicised relationship with Sir Mick following his split from model and actress Chrissie Shrimpton.

Her first hit, As Tears Go By, was written by Sir Mick and Richards, and was followed up with a series of successful singles, including Come And Stay with Me, This Little Bird and Summer Nights.

She was famously found wearing nothing except a rug at an infamous drugs bust at Rolling Stones guitarist Richards' country house, Redlands, in 1967.

Following her split with Sir Mick, Faithfull spent two years on the streets of Soho while addicted to heroin before living in a squat.

She returned to release an album, Broken English, in 1979, which is now regarded as a classic.

Faithfull re-invented herself in 1987 as a jazz and blues singer, with the critically acclaimed Strange Weather, and in the same decade went into rehab.

Her final album was an experimental collaboration with Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds' Australian multi-instrumentalist Warren Ellis, called She Walks In Beauty (2021).

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 Recently she has enjoyed a resurgence and is said to be admired by the likes of Kate Moss and Courtney Love.

In 2006, it was announced that she had made a full recovery from breast cancer.

Doctors in France had diagnosed the disease in September forcing the star to postpone her world tour.

But the cancer was found in its 'earliest stages' and following surgery, she announced she would resume her tour the next year.

She was quoted as saying at the time: 'It has been an extraordinary experience and, in many ways, extremely positive.

'I didn't realise how many true friends I had. I feel so lucky and loved and thank everybody for all their good thoughts.'

The breast cancer came two years after Faithfull, a former smoker, was forced to cancel her European tour after collapsing backstage at a gig.

The singer was diagnosed with exhaustion and ordered to rest for three months.

In 2005 filmmaker Duncan Roy announced that Faithfull had stepped down from his screen version of The Picture Of Dorian Gray because she had suffered a heart attack, which she denied.

The daughter of a British military officer and an Austro-Hungarian Jewish baroness, Faithfull recently appeared in Sofia Coppola's film Marie Antoinette.

She made guest star appearances as God in the TV sitcom Absolutely Fabulous.

One of her early films included I'll Never Forget What's 'Is Name, alongside Orson Welles, and Girl On A Motorcycle.