Beloved stars who tragically died penniless from BBC icon to comic's body left unclaimed

We count down seven celebrities who sadly died virtually penniless.

From riches to rags, it is not uncommon for famous celebrities to have lost their fortunes and suffered some financial hardship. Nowadays, A-list stars to influencers put their lives on full display through social media, portraying a lifestyle of private jets, mega mansions and enviable getaway trips at luxurious destinations at some of the most costly hotels. But in an instant, whether it be a legal battle or a bad financial decision, some have lost their entire fortunes.

Express.co.uk takes a look inside some of Britain's most revered celebrities, who tragically died penniless. From a Coronation Street legend to a popular comedian, these stars sadly lost everything.

Once one of Britain's best-known comedians, he became a recluse in his final years, relying on his carer as his only regular company. The comedian was also thought to be estranged from his six children when he died.

In 2019, the star died of a heart attack in his £170,000 one-bedroom flat on the Costa del Sol in Spain. Freddie's carer, Nelly, made the tragic discovery. She later told the Daily Record he had been out of contact with relatives for years.

According to reports at the time, the comedian was so broke when he died that there were plans to give him a pauper's burial in Spain before a stranger intervened to pay for his reparation and funeral.

One of Britain's most recognisable faces on television, and famed for his role as Mike Baldwin on Coronation Street, Johnny Briggs was one of the ITV soap's highest paid stars, earning £200,000 a year. He starred in the cobbles for three decades but at the time of his death in 2021, aged 85, he was virtually penniless, following a bitter divorce battle with his second wife, according to reports.

His first marriage was to Caroline Sinclair, lasting from 1961 to 1975, followed by his union with Christine Allsop from 1977 to 2006. She eventually filed for divorce after discovering his affair with a 29-year-old makeup assistant.

It is also claimed he had cut his eldest daughter out of his will, with an estate worth £555,000, which he left to five of his six children. According to reports, one daughter was not mentioned in the will at all by her father.

Johnny "died peacefully surrounded by his loved ones" after a long illness.

The Celebrity Big Brother star was "really hard up" at the time of his death, according to friends. The beloved 80s legend, who died from a heart attack aged 56 in October 2016, formed a close bond with George Galloway after they met on CBB in 2006.

However, following more than 300 cosmetic procedures and a costly court battle over botched surgery, Pete was strapped for cash and had to turn to the former MP for financial help on several occasions, Galloway claimed.

"Pete was really hard up, I myself had to help him out of a jam or two," Galloway told the Daily Star.

"He had a lot of difficulties in his life, no doubt. He had a very bad operation on his lips in Italy and bankrupted himself with the legal costs of suing for compensation for an operation that went wrong."

She was one of the most successful comedians in Britain and was dubbed the "funniest woman in the world". Hylda Baker, a beloved BBC actress and comedian, sadly died penniless despite her decades of fame and a successful stint on the hit ITV sitcom Nearest and Dearest.

The comedian became a household name after appearing on the BBC show Good Old Days in 1955, which paved the way for her own television series, Be Soon, in 1957. This was followed by her own sitcom, The Best of Friends, in 1963.

But she sadly died without a penny to her name, with her personal life plagued by hardship and heartbreak. Hylda married Ben Pearson in 1929, but their marriage fell apart after she suffered two ectopic pregnancies. The couple legally separated four years later in 1933.

In 1961, she was hit by a car and successfully sued the driver, receiving £4,000 in damages four years later. In 1971, her chaffeur nicked £2,500 of her money and when the stolen cash was recovered she was left with a mere £45.

By the age of 67, Hylda began showing signs of cognitive decline and her acting career came to an end when she suffered a broken leg after a fall on set and decided to take legal action against production company LWT following the injury.

Hylda was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and moved into Brinsworth House retirement home in 1981 when she was 76. She died in 1986 at Horton Psychiatric Hospital in Surrey from bronchial pneumonia. She tragically spent her final years penniless, "lonely and forgotten", according to Pride of Manchester, with fewer than 10 people reported to have attended her funeral.

Best remembered for his iconic role as Frank Butcher in EastEnders, the actor's life was marred by grief and financial loss. He first worked as a stuntman on films like The Dirty Dozen and the James Bond spoof Casino Royale during the 1960s before moving into comedy. By the early 1970s, he had become a household name across the country, featuring on the ITV show The Comedians, best known for his distinctive cockney accent. He landed a role on the BBC soap, EastEnders, in 1987.

While his career brought him success and financial stability, he suffered tragedy in his personal life. In 1990, his youngest son Mark, who had been grappling with severe mental health issues for years, tragically killed a friend. He then set himself on fire and succumbed to his injuries. Months later, Reid's granddaughter - Mark's daughter - sadly died from cot death. Years earlier, his first child had died just five days after birth.

He would later lose a significant portion of his wealth after a bad investment he made in Spain, which also resulted in members of his extended family also suffering a financial loss.

Reid was a heavy smoker for most of his life and in July 2007, while living in Marbella, Spain, he suffered a suspected heart attack and died at the age of 67. This came just weeks after he had been given a clean bill of health following a thorough medical check-up.

Roy Jay was a British-Norwegian comedian who was a regular on TV screens in the 1980s, featuring on BBC television shows including The Bob Monkhouse Show, The Little and Large Show and The Main Attraction during the peak of his career.

Troubles began after he faced charges for indecent exposure in 1984, when he pulled down his trousers during a live performance before a family crowd at the Park Club in Jersey. He was hit with a £200 fine and his reputation was in tatters after he discovered he had been barred from countless venues even prior to the indecent exposure incident.

His television work dried up but he continued to do stand-up comedy in his final years. The performer died in Alicante, Spain, in December 2007 aged 59, completely broke. His remains laid unclaimed for a fortnight.

The chart-topping glam rock sensation and frontman of The Sweet, Brian Connolly, enjoyed huge success in the 1970s. The band's guitarist, Andy Scott, confirmed they had achieved millionaire status at their height in the 1970s, courtesy of their 39 worldwide hits and 13 top 20 singles in the UK, including the number one smash Blockbuster.

Yet, by the time of his death in February 1997 at the age of 51 from kidney and liver failure, following a series of heart attacks, Brian was residing in a council flat with his partner and son and had been performing regular shows at Butlins to make ends meet.