Sixties pop icon passes away aged 78
British pop icon Marianne Faithfull has died at the age of 78, with the BBC confirming the news by citing a statement from her spokesperson.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull,” the statement read.
“Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed.”
Faithfull was best known for her debut single As Tears Go By which reached the UK top 10 in 1964.
She was also famously the girlfriend of Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger in the 60s, becoming a muse for the rock star, inspiring songs such as Wild Horses and You Can't Always Get What You Want.
Tributes have poured in for the singer, with Jagger describing her as "a wonderful friend, a beautiful singer and a great actress," saying he was "so saddened" by the loss.
His Rolling Stones bandmate Keith Richards shared that he was "so sad" following her death and that he "will miss her".
Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood posted an old picture of him, Faithfull and Richards in a recording studio with the caption "Farewell dear Marianne".
He then shared a more recent photo of the pair with the caption: "Marianne will be dearly missed. Bless her xx".
Throughout her life, the singer had suffered multiple health problems, including bulimia, breast cancer and emphysema caused by decades of smoking.
After a period of drug addiction and homelessness in the early 1970s, Faithfull resurrected her career with the critically acclaimed album Broken English in 1979. She also wrote three autobiographies and had a film acting career.
Her most recent comeback was in 2020, and despite falling into a coma and being hospitalised for three weeks after catching Covid, she recovered.
In March 2022, the singer moved to Denville Hall, a retirement home for actors and other professional performers in London.
Faithfull is survived by her son, Nicholas Dunbar, who she shares with ex-husband and artist John Dunbar.
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