The Vicar of Dibley, Notting Hill star Emma Chambers dead at 53

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DAWN French has paid tribute to her “loving friend” actress Emma Chambers, the star of The Vicar of Dibley and Notting Hill, who has died aged 53.

Taking to Twitter, French posted a tribute to the British actress, famed for playing kooky characters.

Chambers played loveable Alice Tinker alongside French from 1994 to 2007 in the long-running sitcom The Vicar of Dibley.

She also captured international attention for her supporting role in the 1999 Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts comedy Notting Hill.

In the movie, she played Honey, Hugh Grant’s little sister and the romantic interest of Rhys Ifans’ character Spike.

The Sun reports a statement from her agency said Chambers died from natural causes and that she would be “greatly missed”.

“Emma created a wealth of characters and an immense body of work. She brought laughter and joy to many,” the statement said.

Jon Plowman, executive producer of The Vicar of Dibley and former head of comedy at the BBC, said: “This is a sad day. Emma was a gifted comic actress who made any part she played — no matter how ditzy or other worldly — look easy.

“To create a much loved comic character as she did, you have to be every bit as bright and clever as Emma always was.

“She was great fun to work with and adored by all the cast and crew of Vicar of Dibley. She will be missed and our deepest condolences go out to her family and friends.’

Hugh Grant led celebrity tributes to his former co-star.

“Emma Chambers was a hilarious and very warm person and of course a brilliant actress. Very sad news,” he tweeted.

James Dreyfus, who starred alongside Chambers in Notting Hill also paid tribute on Twitter.

He said: “RIP the wonderful and talented Emma Chambers. Unique & unspeakably funny. Too young. Thoughts with her family.”

In 1998, she won the British Comedy Award for best TV actress for her performance in The Vicor of Dibley.

Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson recalled Chambers being “very funny”.

“I’m sad about Emma Chambers. Knew her when she was a kid in Doncaster. She was very funny,” he said.

Chambers is survived by her husband, fellow actor Ian Dunn.

She tied the knot in 1991 at a low-key ceremony in New Forest and described her marriage as ‘glorious’ in an interview in January this year.

“My wedding was very short. I was playing the lead in an Alan Ayckbourn play and was only given one day off,” she told Hitberry magazine. “My sister, Sarah Doukas, is a model agent and one of her bookers made me a dress which cost £180. I still look at it in my wardrobe and think it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.”