French film icon Brigitte Bardot passes away aged 91

French film legend Brigitte Bardot has died aged 91, her charitable foundation has announced.

The blonde bombshell, who became one of the most recognisable faces of cinema in the 1950s and 60s, passed away peacefully, though no details about when or where her death occurred have been shared.

In a statement, the Brigitte Bardot Foundation said it was “immensely saddened” by the loss of its founder and president, praising her for turning her back on a glittering acting career to devote her life to animal welfare.

The sad news comes just weeks after Bardot urged fans to “calm down” amid fears for her health after two hospital stays since October. 

Only months earlier, the actress was forced to publicly deny false rumours claiming she had already died, slamming the reports as “fake news”.

Born in Paris in 1934, she trained as a ballet dancer before finding fame as a model and actress. 

For the unversed, she shot to global stardom in 1956 with And God Created Woman, becoming an international sex symbol overnight.

She went on to star in a string of hit French films and enjoyed a brief Hollywood career, while also releasing music including the original version of Serge Gainsbourg’s scandalous Je T’Aime… Moi Non Plus.

At just 39, Bardot quit acting for good, later founding her animal rights charity in 1986.

Married four times and survived by her son Nicholas, Bardot leaves behind a controversial but unforgettable legacy, a woman who shocked cinema, shunned fame and fought fiercely for the voiceless.

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