
Jackie Collins has died aged 77 after a long battle with breast cancer

Jackie Collins only told her older sister Joan two weeks before she died that she had been battling breast cancer - because she didn't want to be a burden.

The novelist, who has died at the age of 77, was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer more than six years ago but kept her illness almost entirely to herself.

Just a week ago, the writer and her actress sister met up in London where they enjoyed dinner together at The Wolseley in Mayfair.

In a magazine interview which took place earlier this month, Jackie said her sister had been 'very shocked' after being told how serious the illness was.

'She had no idea. But she was great. We were emotional,' Jackie told People.

Jackie explained she hadn't told her famous older sister about her illness sooner because she hadn't wanted to burden her.

'I just felt she didn't need it in her life. She's very positive and very social but I'm not sure how strong she is, so I didn't want to burden her with it,' she told the publication.

Following news of the author's death a spokesman for her family said last night: 'It is with tremendous sadness that we announce the death of our beautiful, dynamic and one of a kind mother, Jackie Collins, who died of breast cancer today.

'She lived a wonderfully full life and was adored by her family, friends and the millions of readers who she has been entertaining for over four decades.

'She was a true inspiration, a trail blazer for women in fiction and a creative force. She will live on through her characters but we already miss her beyond words.'

Her sister Joan, 82, said she was 'completely devastated' to lose her 'best friend'.

Sir Roger Moore, Sandra Bullock and Oprah were among the celebrities who paid tribute yesterday evening.

The best-selling author had spoken to her three daughters Tracy, 54, Tiffany, 48, and Rory, 46, about her illness.

She gave an interview from her home in Beverly Hills five days ago, saying she had no regrets.

Collins said she had lived life like Frank Sinatra, and 'did it my way'.

In the interview with People magazine, she said: 'Looking back, I'm not sorry about anything I did.

'I did it my way, as Frank Sinatra would say. I've written five books since the diagnosis, I've lived my life, I've traveled all over the world, I have not turned down book tours and no one has ever known until now when I feel as though I should come out with it.'

During the emotional interview, Collins - who also has a brother and six grandchildren - said that her family had always been her greatest love.

'I love being with my family,' she said. 'I love sitting out by the pool and watching my [grandkids] play.'

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Saying goodbye: Jackie Collins, who died Saturday at 77, with sister Joan, 82, in London a week ago. Both sisters shared this 'last' photo of themselves together via social media

She fought back tears as she added that she wanted her daughters to know that she would 'always be there' for them.

The 'queen of the bonkbuster' stayed busy even in her final days, traveling to London to appear on Loose Women just nine days before her death.

She also remained active on Twitter, where she posted a picture of her with Harold Robbins and Irving Wallace back in the day.

The novelist, who spent most of her life in America and became a US citizen in 1960, wrote 32 books - all of which made it onto the New York Times Bestsellers' List.

During the emotional interview, Collins (pictured) - who also has a brother and six grandchildren - said that her family had always been her greatest love

Collins (right) gave an interview from her home in Beverly Hills five days ago, saying she had no regrets

Collins, who was 77, appeared on Loose Women in London just nine days before her death and appeared to be in good health

Collins was born in Hampstead, London in 1937, and had help starting her career from her father, who was a theatrical agent whose clients included Shirley Bassey, The Beatles and Tom Jones.

She was expelled from a private school for girls at the age of 15 after throwing her school uniform into the Thames.

As a young stage singer she appeared alongside the likes of Des O'Connor and reportedly had an affair with Marlon Brando when she was 15 and he was 29.

She told the Daily Telegraph in 2012 that Brando was fun, but nothing more than a 'schoolgirl crush'. However, she admitted they spent more than one night together.

Married: Actress Jackie Collins on her wedding day, alongside her first husband Wallace Austin on December 13, 1960

Jackie Collins was famed for her style and fashion sense, as well as her wit and writing ability. She is pictured here in 1956

Collins said she always wanted her three daughters (pictured with her as children) to know she was there for them

Collins, pictured with sister Joan in September 1977, said she had lived life like Frank Sinatra, and had 'done it my way'

The novelist (pictured with Joan Collins in 1974), who spent most of her later life in America, wrote 32 books - all of which made it onto the New York Times Bestsellers' List

Collins' success was replicated in each of her next novels, which were read by more than 500million people around the globe, including Oprah (left)

COLLINS FAMILY STATEMENT 'It is with tremendous sadness that we announce the death of our beautiful, dynamic and one of a kind mother, Jackie Collins, who died of breast cancer today. 'She lived a wonderfully full life and was adored by her family, friends and the millions of readers who she has been entertaining for over four decades. 'She was a true inspiration, a trail blazer for women in fiction and a creative force. 'She will live on through her characters but we already miss her beyond words.' Advertisement

She and her sister Joan started acting in British B movies, but Jackie largely gave up acting in the 1960s, although did play herself briefly in Minder in 1980.

The two remained close friends, with Jackie telling People magazine in 1987 that she wished her mother could seen what the pair of them have achieved before her death.

Her father, Joe, was proud of her, but thought her books were 'pornographic'. 'But he is 83 years old and if he liked my books, I would have to change my style,' she said at the time.

It was her writing that brought Collins stardom, with her first novel, The World Is Full of Married Men, causing controversy after its release in 1968.

Critics branded it 'nasty, filthy and disgusting' and it was banned in Australia and South Africa, but its resulting notoriety caused a huge sales boost in the US and the UK.

Her success was replicated in each of her next novels, which were read by more than 500million people around the globe.

In the 1980s, Collins and her family moved to Los Angeles full-time. Her next novel, Chances, featured her most famous character - Lucky Santangelo.

The 'dangerously beautiful' daughter of gangster Gino Santangelo would feature in nine of her best-selling books, of which two were serialized for television, starring Nicollete Sheridan and Sandra Bullock.

Critics branded Collins' (pictured in the late 1960s) first novel The World Is Full of Married Men 'nasty, filthy and disgusting' and it was banned in Australia and South Africa

She and her sister Joan started acting in British B movies, but Jackie (pictured in 1955) largely gave up acting in the 1960s

Collins' success was replicated in each of her next novels, which were read by more than 500million people around the globe

Collins (pictured in 1968) was given an OBE in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to fiction and charity. She is pictured here in 1968

The best-selling author (pictured in 1956) had spoken to her three daughters Tracy, 54, Tiffany, 48, and Rory, 46, about her illness

Collins (pictured at her home in Beverly Hills in 1984) said she had lived life like Frank Sinatra, and 'did it my way'. She is pictured here in 1984

Collins (pictured in 1968) wed two times and was engaged to be married a third time, but her fiance died

Collins would always buy herself a present after a successful novel, and purchased herself a silver Cadillac Seville after the release of Hollywood Husbands - another chart-topper. It would go on to sell at auction for just over $7,000 in 2006.

She went on to present her own daily television show in 1998, Jackie Collins Hollywood, in which she interviewed stars of stage, screen and music, including George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez.

Collins married two times, wedding her first husband Wallace Austin in 1960. They had one child, Tracy, born in 1961, before their divorce in 1964.

In 1965, Collins married art gallery and nightclub owner, Oscar Lerman.

They married in the home of her sister Joan and Anthony Newley, and went on two have two daughters, Tiffany and Rory. Lerman also adopted Collins' Tracy. Lerman died in 1992 from prostate cancer.

In the Sunday Times Rich List 2011, Collins was listed as the UK's fifth richest author with an estimated personal fortune of $96million

The 'queen of the bonkbuster' stayed active on Twitter until her final days, posting this image two days ago

Collins was never one to turn down an invite and was seen eating dinner with the likes of Kris Jenner earlier this year

Jackie Collins poses for a photograph with TV show host Jerry Springer (left) and MailOnline Editor at Large Piers Morgan

The Collins' sisters were both actresses in their early years before Jackie branched off into writing

The Collins sisters celebrate together at the launch of another of Jackie's best-sellers Hollywood Wives

In 1994, Collins became engaged to Los Angeles business executive Frank Calcagnini (left), who died in 1998 from a brain tumour

In 1965, Collins married art gallery and nightclub owner, Oscar Lerman. They had two children together

In 1994, Collins became engaged to Los Angeles business executive Frank Calcagnini, who died in 1998 from a brain tumour.

Speaking in 2010, she said: 'I nursed them both through really traumatic illnesses.

'Frank was so fit and tall and gorgeous and he got flu one Christmas and the doctor said, "Come in for a chest X-ray." So he went in and when he came out, he looked at me and said, “I’m f-----. They’ve given me three months to live".'

'And those three months were just horrific. For a while afterwards I couldn’t be with people. If they said just one sympathetic word I would burst into tears.'

After Mr Calcagnini's death, she vowed to never marry again.

In the Sunday Times Rich List 2011, Collins was listed as the UK's fifth richest author with an estimated personal fortune of $96million (£60million).

She was given an OBE in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to fiction and charity.

Earlier this month, she said: 'I refuse to mourn people, because everybody dies. Death and taxes, you can't avoid either.'

THE 'QUEEN OF THE BONKBUSTER' AND A CANDID SEX LIFE Q&A Collins spoke to the Daily Mirror in 2010, revealing her own secrets from the bedroom. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve had about sex? Collins: No one’s ever given me any advice about sex. I had to learn everything myself. I learnt a lot by reading, and at 12 and 13 I was reading Harold Robbins. A lot of young girls write to me on Twitter or on my website and say, ‘I’ve been reading your books under the covers and you’ve taught me everything I know about sex… and my boyfriend’s not disappointed’. Do men get intimidated by you because of the sex in your books? Collins: I think I have a good time with men cos I’m a big tease. Not in a sexual way, but in the way I talk to them. I remember being at a dinner party recently and talking to a major movie star who I know is scr*wing everything that moves. I said, ‘I hope you use a condom.’ He said, ‘No I don’t, and it’s worth it.’ Guys treat me like one of the boys and tell me everything, and I love that. How much of the sex in your books is based on your own experience? JC: A lot of it is based on my own experience and from things I’ve observed and things people have told me. I came to Hollywood when I was 15, and God, this sounds so weary, but I’ve seen and done it all, you know what I mean? Do you have a guilty pleasure? Collins: Matthew Goode, the star of Leap Year. He’s got this Irish accent and he’s going to be huge. He’s sexy and a bad boy, he’s like a taller Colin Farrell. Did you ever see the Colin Farrell sex tape? My God, he’s got an enormous d*** and he comes walking towards the camera with it. You’ve got to get hold of it. Does size matter? Collins: I knew that was coming. I think the quality of lovemaking matters more than size, although it obviously helps. It gives it a leg up, so to speak. Is the mile-high club all it’s cracked up to be – or wouldn’t you know? Collins: I do know. But I know the private mile-high club which is in a private plane, so the bathrooms are bigger. But it wasn’t my private plane, it was someone else’s. And no, I’m not telling you whose. Would you ever make a sex tape? Collins: You must be crazy. Especially if you think you might become famous, because of course the guy’s going to sell the tape. Would you want anyone you might eventually break up with to have a sex tape of you? No way. It’s done very well for Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton. And those sex tapes were beautifully produced! Two weeks after Paris’s came out, she was hosting the Teen Choice Awards. But girls shouldn’t follow their example. What’s the biggest difference between attitudes to sex in Britain and the US? Collins: English men are more jokey about it and don’t take it so seriously. English men are much sexier. Advertisement

'I'm completely devastated': Joan Collins reveals grief at sister Jackie's death from breast cancer... and leads tributes to her 'wonderful, brave, best friend'

By Rachel McGrath for Dailymail.com

Jackie and Joan Collins were just about the most famous and certainly the most glamorous sisters in the world and on Saturday Joan said she was 'completely devastated' at Jackie's death.

'She was my best friend,' Joan, 82, told People. 'I admire how she handled this. She was a wonderful, brave and a beautiful person and I love her.'

The novelist had kept to herself the fact that she was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer six-and-a-half years ago and had told her older actress sister that she was terminally ill only two weeks ago.

The best-selling author (left), who is the sister of actress Joan Collins (right), was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer more than six years ago

Just one week ago, the two met up in London where they enjoyed dinner together at The Wolseley in Mayfair.

Both Jackie and Joan shared the photo on social media, with Joan tweeting: 'Lovely evening@#thewolselybefore sis went back toLaLaLand.'

Before her death, Jackie sat down for an interview with People magazine and said the Dynasty star had been 'very shocked' when Jackie told her she was dying.

'She had no idea. But she was great. We were emotional,' Jackie told People.

The September 14 interview with Jackie was published Saturday as news of her death broke.

The writer and TV personality explained she hadn't told her famous older sister about her illness sooner because she hadn't wanted to burden her.

Got her start: Sandra Bullock was a virtual unknown when she was cast in the 1990 TV miniseries Lucky Chances based on two of Jackie's novels. The Oscar winner said Jackie 'had paved the road for so many'

'I just felt she didn't need it in her life. She's very positive and very social but I'm not sure how strong she is, so I didn't want to burden her with it,' she told the publication.

Kris Jenner took to Instagram to mourn the passing of her friend.

The Kardashian momager shared a flashback photo of herself with Jackie and Joan dining out together.

'I'm so sad to hear about the passing of Jackie Collins..my love and prayers go out to her family and friends and to her sister Joan..what an amazing woman.... It was a joy and honor to have known her,' Kris wrote.

In 1990, Sandra Bullock was a young actress still trying to make her way in Hollywood.

One of her first roles was as Maria Santangelo in the TV miniseries Lucky Chances, based on Jackie's best-selling books Lucky and Chances.

'That smart, talented, and gorgeous woman paved the road for so many of us so that we could experience a much smoother journey ... with or without heels,' the Oscar-winning Blind Side actress told People.

Blockbuster: Roger Moore and his wife Luisa attended the premiere of 1978's The Stud which starred Joan, left, in a role created by Jackie, right, who adapted her novel for the big screen

Pals: The former Bond star tweeted that news of Jackie's death came as 'a great shock' and said his thoughts were with Joan and her family

She added: 'Heaven ... watch out!'

Little House On The Prairie star Melissa Gilbert starred in the 2003 TV movie of Hollywood Wives: The New Generation.

The actress, 51, also shared a flashback photo on her Instagram account showing herself with Jackie and her Hollywood Wives co-stars Farrah Fawcett, Robin Givens and Jeff Kaake.

'An amazing woman. Talented. Funny. Kind. One of my very favorite producers ever,' Gilbert also tweeted.

'She will be deeply missed.'

Philanthropist and iconic Beverly Hills socialite Barbara Davis, widow of oil industrialist and former owner of 20th Century Fox Marvin Davis, was a close friend of the Hollywood Kids and Hollywood Divorces author.

Davis told The Hollywood Reporter that she, too, had only just found out that she had breast cancer.

'None of us knew she was sick. I didn't find out until yesterday.' Davis told the publication Saturday.

'She kept it to herself, and she lived with it. She'd just done a book tour in London where she'd gone to tell her family the cancer had spread. But nobody knew it was this close. Jackie was the bravest woman in the world. I'll love her forever.'

Ross Mathews, who found fame as Jay Leno's 'intern' on The Tonight Show and went on to be a red carpet host for E!, shared a photo of himself with Jackie.

Friends: Sharon Osbourne posted this pic of her and Jackie together and said she was 'shocked and devastated' at her death

He's holding a copy of her last book The Santangelos and has his arm around the frail novelist.

'I can't imagine a world without my funny, fabulous & groundbreaking friend Jackie Collins,' he wrote alongside the picture he shared on Instagram.

'You should've heard the stories she told me in private. I felt fabulous just being in her orbit. I was one of the lucky ones, he added. 'I bet she's already got all the gossip on the other side. I love you, Jackie, and thank you.'

Among the famous names paying tribute to the author of Hollywood Husbands, Lucky and Lady Boss were TV host Sharon Osbourne, actors James Woods and Erik Estrada and Oprah Winfrey.

'She was one of the loveliest people imaginable,' Woods tweeted.

'A true star who treated everyone equally. RIP, dear friend.'

Osbourne said she was 'shocked and devastated' at the news.

'Loved and respected her,' she tweeted.

CHIPs star Estrada tweeted he was 'saddened' by her death, adding 'you will be missed.'

Veteran talk show host Larry King said he was shocked and saddened at the news and remembered the author of 32 bestsellers as 'a true talent, a beautiful being and a dear friend.'

Morning anchor Hoda Kotb said simply she was 'so sad' to hear the news.

Jackie Collins' final, stoic TV appearance: Novelist flew from LA to London for chat show just NINE DAYS before her death, gave no indication of her suffering and even joked about her 'research' for erotic novels

By Ollie Gillman for Dailymail.com

Jackie Collins flew from Los Angeles to London to appear on Loose Women just over a week before her death - showing no sign whatsoever that she was terminally ill.

The best-selling author, who died on Saturday aged 77 after a six-year battle with breast cancer, was in high spirits and was still speaking about future plans, suggesting she may have taken a sudden turn for the worse after the 10,000-mile round trip.

Collins kept a busy schedule until her death, making her final, stoic televised appearance on the women's chat show nine days before she passed away.

Stoic novelist Jackie Collins flew from Los Angeles to London to appear on Loose Women just over a week before her death

She spoke of how she enjoyed a 'proper English cup of tea' with scones on the British Airways flight to London, before heading straight to Marks & Spencer as she misses the British way of life while at her home in Beverly Hills.

Collins told the ITV show that she hoped to persuade Angelina Jolie to star in a movie adaptation of her latest novel, while also telling all about her 'research' for the sexual positions that feature in her 'bonkbuster' novels.

Despite secretly suffering from terminal cancer, Collins made the mammoth trip at the start of the month, meeting her sister Joan, 82, for dinner at Wolseley in Mayfair.

She continued to promote her novel The Santangelos at book signings and in magazine interviews before appearing on Loose Women on September 10.

She gave no indication whatsoever that she was dying, with perhaps her only sign that something was amiss being her stumbling over the word 'cancer' as she chit-chatted with the hosts.

The best-selling author, who died on Saturday aged 77 after a six-year battle with breast cancer, was in high spirits and was still speaking about future plans

Of course, in true Jackie Collins style, she wasn't talking about the disease, but was discussing the 1934 erotic novel Tropic of Cancer.

By September 14 - five days before she died - she was back in LA for more interviews, showing Hello magazine around her mansion.

She had spoken of how she was writing another book, as well as her half-written autobiography.

'It’s called Reform School or Hollywood. One day, I’m writing that and the next I’m novel writing,' Collins said.

'One of my daughters picked it up the other day and started reading. She said, "This is like reading one of your novels," but I think that’s a good thing. You’ll have to wait and see.'

Later that day she held her final interview, with People magazine.

This was when she revealed that she was dying of breast cancer, in details that only emerged after her death.

'Looking back, I'm not sorry about anything I did,' she said.

'I did it my way, as Frank Sinatra would say. I've written five books since the diagnosis, I've lived my life, I've travelled all over the world, I have not turned down book tours and no one has ever known until now when I feel as though I should come out with it.'

The author fought back tears as she said she would 'always be there' for her daughters, Tracy, 54, Tiffany, 48, and Rory, 46.

Up until the day before she died, Collins was chatting to fans on Facebook, writing on her Facebook page that she was excited to watch the season premiere of Nashville, which starts on September 23.

The day before she died she was still making plans, praising a fan for coming up with the idea of putting all of her novels with her famed character Lucky into one collection.