Singer and actress Jane Birkin died on her first night alone for almost two years as she tried to regain her independence while fighting cancer, it emerged on Wednesday.
The London-born 76-year-old was involved in “a fierce battle” against the disease in her adopted France but wanted to get back to a normal life rather than being surrounded by caregivers all day.
Her body was found by one of them at Ms Birkin’s Paris home on Sunday, after she had expressed her wish to spend Saturday night by herself.
Ms Birkin had also said she wanted to start performing again, and had been looking forward to her next appearance at the Olympia concert hall in the French capital.
A statement released by her family on Wednesday read: “Jane Birkin passed away after 16 years of a fierce battle with illness.
“Since her stroke in September 2021, her family and wonderful caregivers had been by her side day and night.
“For a few days, she had been walking again, and was motivated by rescheduling her Olympia performance.
“The first evening alone turned out to be her last. She had decided it.”
The statement, which confirmed death by “natural causes”, was released by Ms Birkin’s manager, Olivier Gluzman, on behalf of her daughters, Charlotte Gainsbourg, 51, and Lou Doillon, 40.
Ms Birkin had described her leukaemia – which she was diagnosed with in 1998 – as a “not very painful cancer,” but in May she cancelled a serious of concerts when it got worse.
She said at the time: “I have always been a great optimist, and I realise that I still need a little time to be able again on stage and with you”.
Ms Birkin was best known as the former lover of French singer Serge Gainsbourg, whom she first met in 1969 while co-starring in the French satirical romantic comedy Slogan.
Ms Birkin was 21 at the time, and had moved to France with her toddler daughter, Kate Barry, after a brief marriage to the James Bond composer, John Barry.
Ms Birkin and Gainsbourg’s sexually explicit song, ‘Je t’aime... moi non plus’ (I love you, nor me) was a worldwide hit, reaching Number One in the UK Charts.
This was despite it being banned from a number of stations, because it was considered too risqué.
Following her death, French President Emmanuel Macron described Ms Birkin as ‘A complete artist, her voice was as sweet as her convictions were ardent. Her legacy to us is songs and images that that will not leave us.’
