'It Was A Privilege To Know And Love Her': McCartney On Cilla Black's Passing

'60s icon and a protege of The Beatles, Cilla Black has passed away at the age of 72 in her Spanish villa in Estepona, with the Spanish police stating she died of natural causes.

The Beatles' Ringo Starr offered his condolences via Twitter this morning, stating "I just heard the news Cilla black has left us she was a good friend we will all miss her peace to Cilla peace and love to the family R&B xx".

Paul McCartney also made a statement: "Such a shock to hear about Cilla’s passing. She was a lovely girl who infected everyone with her great spirit. From first meeting her as a cloakroom girl at the Cavern in Liverpool, to seeing her many times since, she always had a fun loving dignity that made her a great pleasure to be around.

"She had a fine distinctive voice and was always a bit of a laugh. It was a privilege to know and love her."

Cilla was managed by The Beatles' manager Bobby Willis with the late Black becoming quite close to the band over the decades. 

According to The Independent, Black's representative Nick Fiveash said, "Details of her death will be announced following the coroners report. Her family have asked for their privacy to be respected at this time."

As The Telegraph notes, a Spanish policeman said, "We are still awaiting autopsy results but everything at this stage is pointing towards her death being the result of natural causes."

Last year, it is said Black's health started to deteriorate, with the starlet claiming her arthritis was getting in the way of her career and that she had become largely deaf.

Black started off her career in 1963 has a singer, with tracks like Anyone Who Had A Heart and You're My World peaking at #1, but later in life delved into the world of TV as a presenter for shows like Blind Date, Surprise Surprise and her own variety show, Cilla.