Grease star Olivia Newton-John dies aged 73

The singer and actress shot to fame after starring in Grease

Olivia Newton-John has died at the age of 73. The Grease star and multi-platinum selling singer passed away "peacefully at her ranch in Southern California" on Monday morning. In a statement on her Facebook page, her husband John Easterling said: "Dame Olivia Newton-John (73) passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends. We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time. A cause of death has not yet been given. Newton-John first rose to fame in the early 70s with songs like "If Not for You," "Let Me Be There," and "Have You Never Been Mellow." But her big break came in 1978 when she starred alongside John Travolta in the smash hit film Grease. [caption id="attachment_352841" align="alignnone" width="2048"] The star of music and film is perhaps best-known for her role alongside John Travolta in Grease (Getty)[/caption] Her role as Sandy in the musical etched her name into movie history, not just for the role itself but also the equally-iconic soundtrack, which has sold over 25 million copies worldwide. This included songs such as "You're the One that I Want," "Summer Nights," - which both reached number one in the UK - and "Hopelessly Devoted to You." Then, in 1981 she had her biggest hit with the song "Physical," which topped the US chart for 10 weeks. Newton-John had previously battled breast cancer. She was diagnosed with the illness in 1992 but went into remission. After returning in 2013 and going into remission again, the cancer resurfaced in 2017. She is survived by her husband Easterling, daughter Chloe Lattanzi, sister Sarah Newton-John and brother Toby Newton-John. Related links:

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