On the Buses legend left fortune to former co-star following tragic fire death

When actress Anna Karen, who was best known for the role of Olive on the much-loved ITV show On The Buses, died in a tragic house fire in Essex at the age of 85 in 2022, she left behind a £400,000 estate. Although she had no children of her own, she did have a stepdaughter, Gloria Duggan Gill, from her over four-decade marriage to actor Terry Duggan. She raised Gloria, whose mother was Terry's first wife, Pat Lyons. Yet despite this, she chose to leave the bulk of her estate, 65% in total, to an EastEnders co-star.

Anna had played the character of Aunt Sal, who was the sister of Barbara Windsor's Peggy Mitchell, in the BBC soap opera from 1996 until 2017. Meanwhile, Sophie Lawerence played Diane Butcher in the show from 1988 until 1991, returning for guest appearances in 1993, 1994, 1997, 2008 and 2012. However, according to Anna's stepdaughter, Sophie was more than just a co-star and also became something of a carer for Anna and Terry, who died in 2008.

When news of the bequest became public, Yorkshire-based Gloria said Sophie deserved the money for all she had done for the star.

"I was very close to Anna. We used to speak every couple of weeks or so. But I wasn't expecting to get any money, I was very pleased that she left it to Sophie.

"I knew she was going to give the money to Sophie. Sophie has looked after my dad and Anna very well and because I live all the way up here I was a bit limited to what I could do.

"She is a lovely girl, Sophie, and she deserves it all. She has really looked after the two of them - my dad and Anna. She has known them for years," she told MailOnline.

Probate records revealed that Anna, who starred in 74 episodes of On The Buses and three spin-off films between 1969 and 1973, left an estate of £427,197.

Her will left 65 per cent of her net estate to Sophie, now 53, after funeral and legal costs and inheritance tax.

She bequeathed a £1,500 legacy to another friend, while Gloria received a further fifth of the residue of her estate.

Another eighth was left to four other friends or relatives, and the final 2.5 per cent was left to the Actors' Benevolent Fund.