Veteran British actress Patsy Byrne has died, aged 80.

The star passed away on 17 June (14) at Denville Hall, a retirement home for elderly actors in London.

Byrne was most famous for her role as Nursie in cult British comedy Blackadder Ii in the 1980s. She also enjoyed a long-running role in sitcom Watching and appeared in the Bbc's 1999 Tv adaptation of David Copperfield.

Her most recent credit was for U.K. Tv drama Holby City in 2006.

After hearing of her passing, her fellow Blackadder castmember Stephen Fry tweeted: "Oh lord no! I've just heard that Patsy Byrne, darling Nursie has died. Hope St Bernard has welcomed her to eternal rest. Adorable woman."

Byrne's death came just a week after her Blackadder co-star Rik Mayall passed away aged 56 on 9 June (14). His Lord Flashheart character famously flirted with Byrne's Nursie in the show.

A message posted on the Blackadder Facebook.com page reads, "Very saddened to hear that Blackadder has lost another amazing actor. RIP Patsy Byrne AKA Nursie AKA Bernard. You and Flashheart can flirt for an eternity now."