Dame Sheila Hancock said she is grateful to those scouring the streets of London looking for her ‘most treasured possession’ described as having ‘huge personal importance’ to her.
The British actress, 90, lost a sentimental gold chain holding four wedding rings belonging to each of her parents and her two marriages to the late John Thaw and Alec Ross.
Sharing several posts on Twitter, her official account was offering a reward for finding the necklace as the Metropolitan Police ‘no longer deal with lost items’.
A statement read: ‘Sheila is so grateful to everyone sharing the posts about her lost chain with the wedding rings.
‘It hasn’t been found yet but she sends heartfelt thanks to everyone trying to share news for her.
Devastated: Dame Sheila Hancock, 90, has lost a sentimental gold chain holding four wedding rings belonging to her parents and her two marriages to the late John Thaw and Alec Ross (pictured last month)
Gratitude: Dame Sheila said she is grateful to those scouring the streets of London looking for her ‘most treasured possession’ (pictured last month)
Important: The actress has described the chain and the rings as having ‘huge personal importance’ to her (pictured last month)
‘If anyone does find it, it is of such huge personal import(ance) to her.. plse contact us.’
An earlier tweet read: ‘CCTV suggests this necklace w. the 4 wedding rings was lost round Haymarket W1.
‘The police no longer deal with lost items so even if someone went to hand it in there is no central system to find it.
‘She is desperate to have this personal treasure back.’
Pictures of Dame Sheila with the chain around her neck were also tweeted, which said the actress is ‘heartbroken to lose her most treasured possession’.
Dame Sheila, who was married to the actor John Thaw before his death in 2002, started her career in the theatre, finding success in both the West End and on Broadway.
Her career flourished with comedy performances on the BBC, with roles in sitcoms including The Rag Trade, Mr Digby Darling and Now Take My Wife.
In 1972, she landed her own series, But Seriously, It’s Sheila Hancock.
Appeal: Sharing several posts on Twitter, her official account was offering a reward for finding the necklace as the Metropolitan Police ‘no longer deal with lost items’
It comes after Dame Sheila said she wants to ‘leave the world a happy place’.
The star is determined to remain optimistic and ‘full of life’ – despite the ongoing challenges facing people around the world.
Sheila told the Daily Mirror newspaper: ‘It is really difficult now to be not angry, isn’t it?
‘I won’t be here much longer realistically and I would like to leave the world a happy place, lovely and full of life.
‘There are many natural disasters at the moment like those poor people caught up in the Turkey earthquake.
‘And then of course the everlasting worry about the planet. It is terrifying if you read about it.’
The veteran star was outspoken about various social and political issues – including Brexit, the COVID-19 lockdown and inequality – in her memoir, Old Rage.
However, Dame Sheila is ‘angrier than ever’ under the current administration led by new prime minister Rishi Sunak, arguing that he doesn’t appreciate the arts.
Dame Sheila said: ‘How dare they cut arts funding and say children need to do more maths?
‘We need culture in this country. To say maths is a priority and the arts isn’t is crazy. The arts make life worth living.
Keepsake: The chain carried the gold wedding ring given to her by her late actor husband John Thaw, who she was married to from 1973 to 2002 (pictured in March 1990)
Looking back: On the chain was also her wedding ring from her first late husband Alec Ross, who she was married to from 1955 to 1971
‘We are blessed with a lot of theatres in this country and it is essential for our mental and physical health. The arts means a lot now.’
The actress also slammed politician Lee Anderson for supporting the reintroduction of the death penalty.
Sheila said: ‘Somebody has just been appointed by Rishi Sunak who believes we should bring back hanging.
‘These are leaders who we should look up to. How can anybody say that? We hanged people who were innocent in the past.’
