How did Meg Johnson die? Cause of death explored as the Emmerdale actor dies at 86

Meg Johnson reportedly died on Saturday, July 1, 2023, at the age of 86. She was struggling with dementia, which is presumed to have led to her death. Meg appeared in different TV shows over the years. The Twitter handle of the TV show Emmerdale shared a statement announcing the actor's passing away, saying:

"It is with great sadness that we announce that actress Meg Johnson passed away peacefully yesterday evening surrounded by her family."

She was described as a "kind and wonderful lady" who had a "twinkle in her eye." Actor Danny Miller also paid tribute to Johnson on Twitter and wrote that he was devastated to hear the news, continuing:

"The creator of "pigs b*m!!" – should she ever forget her lines, and a loved soul throughout the building. Shared many laughs with her and Dominic on set. Rest well Meg!"

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Meg Johnson's family revealed that she was battling dementia

Meg Johnson was known for her performances on various TV shows over the years. However, as mentioned earlier, the actress also battled dementia, which was mentioned as her cause of death. According to a joint statement from her family, talent agency Jorg Betts Associates, and TV show Emmerdale,

"Meg had an outstanding career that ended with her playing Pearl Ladderbanks in Emmerdale in 2003. Meg had dementia for the last few years, but battled on personally and professionally regardless."

Mayo Clinic states that dementia refers to symptoms that affect memory, thinking, and social abilities. The symptoms impact daily life, and although memory loss is one of the symptoms, having the same does not mean that an individual has dementia.

Dementia has a long list of symptoms, including memory loss, communication problems, poor control of movement, confusion, personality changes, depression, anxiety, inappropriate behavior, and hallucinations. The condition is caused by damage or loss of nerve cells and brain connections. Moroever, the symptoms are dependent on the brain area that has been damaged.

Age, family history, and Down syndrome can increase the chances of contracting dementia. As such, certain things need to be controlled to reduce the risk of the diseas. The resctrictions involve cutting back on alcohol, depression, head trauma, sleeplessness, and medicines affecting memory.

Dementia can be prevented by bringing a few changes to the lifestyle. This includes keeping the mind active, quitting smoking, getting a lot of vitamins, managing cardiovascular risk factors, maintaining a healthy diet, getting a lot of sleep, and treating hearing problems.

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Meg Johnson was known for her appearance as Pearl Ladderbanks in Emmerdale

Born on September 30, 1936, Meg Johnson made her debut with the television film, The Referees, in 1961. She then appeared in a few TV shows like Family Solicitor, Here's Harry, Comedy Playhouse, and Country Matters.

Aside from that, the actress was also featured in various TV shows like How's Your Father, Play for Today, Yanks Go Home, Empire Road, Watch All Night, The Practice, and more.

Johnson eventually became popular for her performance as Brigid McKenna in Brookside, which aired on Channel 4. The show aired for 2,915 episodes from November 2, 1982, to November 4, 2003, and held a record of highest viewership.

In 2003, Meg was cast as Pearl Ladderbanks in Emmerdale. She continued to play the role until 2020 and reprised her role in the spin-off series, Emmerdale: Paddy and Marlon's Big Night In. As for the professional front, the actress tied the knot with actor and ITV Granada television presenter Charles Foster in 1981. Charles died in February 2023.

Meg is survived by her family members.