Desperate Housewives star, Kathryn Joosten, dies aged 72

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 dollar (£26 million) elephant enclosure at the Los Angeles Zoo.

AP