Joan Collins, mother of television personality Gemma Collins, has died at the age of 70 after battling pneumonia twice within six months. The former Only Way Is Essex star announced the news on Instagram, writing that every piece of her heart had left with her mother.
Joan Collins had first been hospitalised with pneumonia in 2020, then again in December 2025, and once more last month. In June, Gemma Collins posted on Instagram that her mother had caught pneumonia but was doing well, thanking nurses and doctors for their care.
The death follows a series of high-profile figures lost to the condition. Actor Sam Neill died in what was described as a sudden and unexpected death attributed to pneumonia a fortnight ago. Val Kilmer and Diane Keaton were both listed as pneumonia deaths last year, at ages 65 and 79 respectively. Wayne Lineker, 64, brother of football pundit Gary Lineker, also revealed in December that he nearly died from the disease.
Types of pneumonia
Doctors explain there are two main forms. Viral pneumonia, caused by influenza, RSV, or Covid, is generally milder but can sometimes be severe. Bacterial pneumonia, when bacteria infect the lungs, is often more serious and may require treatment.
In rarer cases, aspiration pneumonia can develop when food, drink, or vomit enters the lungs instead of air.
Untreated bacterial infections like pneumococcal pneumonia can have quite a high mortality rate, according to Professor Hunter, a virus expert at the University of East Anglia. More people die from pneumonia in Britain than anywhere else in Europe, according to lung charity Asthma and Lung UK. In the United States, there are around 42,000 deaths per year.
Who is at risk
Those with weakened immune systems, including cancer patients, elderly people, and babies, face greater vulnerability, Professor Hunter says. However, pneumonia can affect anyone and can be life-threatening at any age.
Experts caution that many sufferers may have very few symptoms, meaning the illness goes undetected and untreated, potentially causing long-term lung damage.
Symptoms to watch for
Typical symptoms include a cough producing mucus, shortness of breath, high temperature, chest pain, and body aches. Fatigue, loss of appetite, and wheezing are also common. Babies may make grunting noises when breathing, while elderly people may become confused.
Professor Hunter advises checking blood oxygen levels using a pulse oximeter, a device clipped to a finger that measures oxygen in the blood. Readings of around 92 percent or lower should prompt people to seek medical attention. These devices are available at many high street pharmacies.
Of those hospitalised with pneumonia, roughly 15 percent die within a month of admission. That figure rises to around 30 percent for patients admitted to intensive care. Hospital treatment typically includes antibiotics, fluids, sometimes steroids, and oxygen if needed.
Prevention
Professor Hunter says staying up to date with pneumococcal, flu, RSV, and Covid vaccines offers highly effective protection. Stopping smoking can also dramatically reduce the risk.
