Peggy honoured in walk of fame

12:44pm Wednesday 21st September 2005

Croydon-born actress Dame Peggy Ashcroft is one of 100 celebrities to be honoured in a new UK walk of fame.

The Avenue of Stars was officially unveiled in Covent Garden on Sunday to coincide with ITV's 50th birthday celebrations. The launch was broadcast live on the channel.

Dame Ashcroft is best known for her Oscar award-winning performance in A Passage to India in 1984, which secured her place in history as one of Britain's best actresses.

She was born Edith Margaret Emily Ashcroft in Croydon on July 22, 1907. The Ashcroft Theatre at Fairfield Halls was named after the actress whose portrayal of Juliet in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, was classed as the best in the 20th century by many critics.

Peggy Ashcroft was made a Dame in 1956.

The Beatles, Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, John Cleese and Sir Alfred Hitchcock are just a few of the famous names immortalised on the avenue, modelled on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

Each year more star shaped plaques will be placed outside St Paul's, the actors' church in Covent Garden honouring the stars of the stage and screen and entertainment from the past 50 years.