British singer and TV star Cilla Black dies at 72

Ahead of the post-mortem examination, police in Spain said “everything at this stage is pointing towards her death being the result of natural causes”.

Black’s publicist confirmed her death in a brief statement.

And Beatles drummer Ringo Starr said: “I just heard the news Cilla Black has left us”.

“Details of her death will be announced following the coroner’s report. Her family have asked for ther privacy to be respected at this time”.

Born as Priscilla Maria Veronica White in Liverpool, Black had spoken of how she would die happy if she were to pass away before any illness could rob her of being able to enjoy life. Cilla, whose real name is Priscilla White, had hits such as Anyone Who Had a Heart and You’re My World. She would never go out looking scruffy.

Known affectionately as Cilla to generations of Britons, Black later moved into television, hosting a string of prime-time shows.

These included “Surprise Surprise“, a show that involved surprising members of the public with long-lost loved ones or fulfilling long-held dreams.

Another hit was dating program Blind Date which ran for 18 years between 1985 and 2003.

Cilla Black revealed in an interview last year that she didn’t want to live past the age of 75 if it meant she would become a burden to her family and friends.

Mr McCann, a close friend, said: “She willed herself to die”.

They had three sons as well as a daughter who died in infancy.

“From first meeting her as a cloakroom girl at the Cavern in Liverpool, to seeing her many times since, she always had a fun-loving dignity that made her a great pleasure to be around”.

Beatle Sir Paul McCartney wrote her first single, Love of the Loved.

Lulu tweets, “Sooo sad to hear that Cilla has died“.

“My earliest memory of having a tantrum was over Cilla”. My mum and dad said no – my grandad said yes.

She told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “But secretly I don’t want to linger”.

Cilla’s enduring popularity stemmed largely from her amiable nature and her proud Liverpudlian accent, addressing people affectionately as “chuck” and her breezy “lorra, lorra laughs” catch-phrases.

“She was a very special person, and I have lost a very wonderful friend”.

It is thought Cilla flew to Spain last week with one of her sons and she passed away in her sleep overnight.

Mrs Robertson described how, as a child, she would spend summer holidays at Cilla’s home in London, where she would be taken shopping and to see West End shows.

But Cilla, 72, whose rare talents were matched by a phenomenal capacity for hard work, remained in the public eye and at the highest level for approaching half a century.