Inside Emmerdale Pearl star’s life – six-figure will, co-star marriage and dementia battle
The Emmerdale villagers discover that Pearl Ladderbanks has sadly passed away, with the character's death coming less than a year after actress Meg Johnson died
Emmerdale villages discover that Pearl Ladderbanks has passed away in upcoming scenes.
Pearl was played by Meg Johnson from 2003 until 2020. The character’s death comes less than one year after the actress’ death aged 86 last July.
Pearl was renowned for having a gossip with her pals and working at the veterinary surgery. She was a crucial part of a number of huge storylines on the ITV soap, including being trapped in a fire during the Sugden house explosion and and faking Alzheimer’s disease.
In 2020, Pearl bid farewell to the Dales after moving into a caravan. Meanwhile in real life, Meg departed the soap to shield during the coronavirus pandemic.
Dementia battle
The Manchester-born actress battled dementia for several years before she died. Her death was announced in a joint statement from her family, the talent agency Jorg Betts Associates and the ITV show, where they revealed her health battle.
The statement said: “It is with great sadness that we announce that actress Meg Johnson passed away peacefully yesterday evening surrounded by her family. Meg was a kind and wonderful lady, full of warmth and always with a twinkle in her eye.
“Meg had an outstanding career that ended with her playing Pearl Ladderbanks in Emmerdale from 2003. Meg had dementia for the last few years, but battled on personally and professionally regardless. She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her.”
Co-star marriage
Meg walked down the aisle for the first time in 1956 when she married Hibbert Johnson. The couple divorced and she went on to tie the knot with Charles Foster in 1981.
They were married until the actor-turned ITV presenter died in February 2023. Like his wife, Charles appeared on both Coronation Street and Emmerdale, and was also the face of Granada TV from the 1970s until the 1990s.
Six-figure will
After Meg’s death, probate documents showed that she left £375,000 in her will. The soap stalwart – real name Margaret Foster – left most of her assets to her two children, Nicholas and Stephanie.
This was because her Charles Foster passed away just a few months before she did. Meg passed down a large diamond ring to Stephanie and gave another five-stone diamond ring to her daughter-in-law Saheli.
Her final will was signed in 2012, more than 11 years before her sad death. She asked for her body to be cremated after she died in a Rochdale dementia care home.
Career before Emmerdale
After she was evacuated to Bolton during the war at the age of six, Meg made her stage debut there, performing at the Grand theatre. Her first acting job came in 1961 when she landed a role in the TV series Here’s Harry.
Meg’s theatre career spanned decades and she made her West End debut as Widow Corney in Oliver! in 1983. Her other London roles included Maggie Jones in 42nd Street, Dolly Tate in Annie Get Your Gun and Nettie Fowler in Carousel.
In 1972, she appeared on Coronation Street as a tipsy woman in a few episodes. Her second stint came in 1976 as Brenda Holden before she was cast as Eunice Nuttall in 1981.
Meg made recurring appearances as the character until 1999. Her soap career continued the following year as she portrayed Brigid McKenna, matriarch of the Murray family, in Brookside’s final days. The same year Brookside ended, she landed the role of Pearl.