Cilla Black: In pictures

Cilla Black, whose career as a singer and entertainer spanned more than 50 years, has died at the age of 72.

Here is her life in pictures:

Cilla Black, born Priscilla White in Liverpool on 27 May 1943, was a singer, actress and entertainer

After changing her name, she launched a singing career in 1963

Pictured here on Top of the Pops, her career began while working as a hat check girl at Liverpool's Cavern Club

She made her TV debut in 1968 with her own BBC One primetime series, Cilla

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In 1969 she married her agent Bobby Willis. The pair remained married until his death in 1999

A year later the couple's first son, Robert, was born. The couple had two more sons and Robert later became Black's manager

Black had two number one singles and 19 top 40 singles during her career

The entertainer hosted the Cilla variety show between 1968 and 1976

In the 1980s and 1990s she hosted hit shows Blind Date and Surprise Surprise

From 1985 to 2003, Black played Cupid on 380 editions of Saturday night favourite Blind Date

In 1999 she was awarded an OBE for her achievements in the entertainment industry

In later life she made guest appearances on television programmes such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks

In 2014 Black was awarded the special award at the Bafta Television Awards

She made one of her last television appearances on the BBC chat show Backchat in January