The actress Kathryn Joosten, best known for playing nosey neighbour Karen McCluskey on the hit US TV show Desperate Housewives, has died aged 72 after a long battle with lung cancer.

The actress won two Emmy awards for her portrayal of Mrs McCluskey, the cranky but loveable pensioner who kept a close eye on her Wisteria Lane neighbours on Desperate Housewives.

The show ended its run on ABC last month with a series finale in which Joosten’s character passed away. Her character’s battle with cancer was a storyline in the show.

Joosten also appeared on NBC’s The West Wing as Mrs Landingham, the president’s trusted secretary.

Over the years, she had roles in a number of other popular shows, including a recurring part on Dharma and Greg and guest spots on shows including Ally McBeal and Scrubs.

Active in animal rights causes, she appeared with other celebrities at a 2008 news conference in Los Angeles to ask the city to abandon a project for a $40 million (€32 million) elephant enclosure at the Los Angeles Zoo.

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