We remember Cilla Black as a 60s pop star who went on to become one of the highest-paid performers in the history of British television.

A familiar face on TV and in the pop charts, her career spanned decades – making her a well-known figure for generations of British families. We take a look back at her incredible journey in the glitzy world of showbiz.

Here she is during her early days at Alpha TV Studios in Birmingham in 1963.

Cilla Black
(PA)

Cilla, pictured left, celebrating her 21st birthday backstage at Top Of The Pops studio in 1964, with a special “on top of the world” birthday cake. Her song You’re My World became number one on the charts that year.

Cilla Black
(PA)

Pictured with greyhound Ringo after making the draw for the first round of the 1964 National Inter-Track Greyhound Championship.

Cilla Black
(PA)

Cilla posing with Ringo outside the Waldorf Hotel in London.

Cilla Black
(PA)

Here she is again posing for a portrait with her signature red bob and a bright fuchsia pink dress.

Cilla Black
(PA)

With Bruce Forsyth recording a sketch for a Christmas show at ABC-TV studios in Teddington in 1965.

Cilla Black and comedian Bruce Forsyth
(PA)

The Liverpudlian singer hiding behind big dark sunglasses at Heathrow Airport, while on her way to New York to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Cilla Black
(PA)

With singer Cliff Richard in 1968 at Shepherd’s Bush in London. The pair were having a bit of fun while counting for Britain’s Song For Europe (now known as Eurovision: Your Country Needs You).

Cilla Black
(AP)

Cilla with her fiance Bobby Willis at Mayfair in London in 1969.

Cilla Black
(AP)

With Bruce Forsyth and choreographer Lionel Blair in Leeds in 1969.

Cilla Black
(PA)

Cilla, aged 25, on her wedding day. She married her manager Bobby Willis, 27, at St Marylebone Register Office in London in 1969.

Cilla Black
(PA)

The singer and husband Bobby pose for photos with their 10-day old baby Robert as they leave the clinic at St Johns Wood in London.

Cilla Black
(PA)

Cilla with her son Robert at Heathrow Airport while flying back from Nice.

Cilla Black
(PA)

Does she look like me? Cilla and Bobby joke around as they check out the wax image of her and her baby Robert at Madame Tussaud’s exhibition in London in 1971.

Cilla Black
(PA)

With comedian Harry Secombe and Dame Vera Lynn at the Variety Club of Great Britain luncheon in 1978. The lunch was in honour of the British Record industry to celebrate its contribution to the club’s work for children’s charities.

Cilla Black
(PA)

With her son Robert and his wife Fiona after their wedding at St Mary The Virgin Church in Denham, Buckinghamshire in 2001.

Cilla Black
(PA)

With Marie Curie Nurse of the Year Catherine McGhee, launching Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Daffodil Campaign 2001. Cilla teamed up with Catherine to urge the public to wear a daffodil on Marie Curie day.

Cilla Black
(Sean Dempsey/PA)

During a photocall for ITV show Blind Date at the New Connaught Rooms in London. The show ran on Saturday nights from November 1985 to May 2003.

Cilla Black
(Myung Jung Kim/PA)

Cilla and former Blue singer Duncan James posing with Second World War veteran Private Bill Phillips during a photocall to mark the first ever National Lottery Helping Hand Awards in central London.

Cilla Black
(Edmond Terakopian/PA)

Receiving The Hall Of Fame award from Cherie Blair in 2005.

Cilla Black
(Andy Butterton/PA)

Posing for photos with the contestants on Soapstar Superstar – Shobna Gulati, Sammy Winward, Lucy Pargeter, Wendi Peters and Roxanne Pallett during a photocall in Manchester. Cilla was one of the judges on the ITV singing show, which ran for a year before getting cancelled in 2007.

Cilla Black
(Martin Rickett/PA)

Attending a private view of the new Modern Muses photography exhibition by Bryan Adams at Endell Street in London.

Cilla Black
(Carmen Valino/PA)

Cilla on the catwalk at the Fashion For Relief show during London Fashion Week in 2008 – where funds were raised to promote awareness of safe childbirth for women and newborns in developing countries.

Cilla Black
(Lefteris Pitarakis/AP)

Prince Harry meeting the singer in 2010.

Cilla Black
(Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA)

With Sir Cliff Richard and Colin Firth in the Royal Box at the Wimbledon Championships last year.

Cilla Black
(John Walton/PA )

Cilla joking with Paul O’Grady after winning her Special Award at the BAFTA Television Awards last year.

Cilla Black
(Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)