Cherry: 'McClanahan will be sorely missed'

Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry has praised the late Rue McClanahan.

Cherry worked as a writer on McClanahan's sitcom The Golden Girls.

"When I worked on The Golden Girls, my favourite character to write for was Blanche Devereaux," the TV producer told Extra.

Cherry added: "In the hands of lesser actresses, Blanche's vanity and sexual appetite would have been off-putting. But in Rue's brilliant hands, that character became one of the most beloved in the history of TV. Rue's kindness, generosity and enormous talent will be sorely missed."

McClanahan died yesterday after suffering a major stroke. She was 76.