Tanya Roberts in ICU: Why did actress leave 'That '70s Show' in Season 3?
Update: Bond actress Tanya Roberts is still alive. Her publicist Mike Pingel has retracted the statement saying that it was a mistake. Pingel said that although the star's partner Lance O’Brien thought she had died, the hospital called on January 4 morning to confirm she was alive and is still in the ICU. On Monday,(Jan 4) news of the Hollywood actress passing away surfaced and her fans mourned her death.
Original story
2021 has begun on a rather sad note, as we had to bid goodbye to 'That '70s Show' star and Bond girl Tanya Roberts. According to TMZ, the actress reportedly took her dogs for a walk on Christmas Eve and collapsed upon returning home. She was put on a ventilator after being hospitalized but reportedly never recovered. The outlet added that the actress did not appear to be ill in the days leading up to her collapse and that her death is not related to Covid-19. However, additional information was not available.
Roberts, born Victoria Leigh Blum, started her career as a model before breaking into films with the 1975 horror flick 'Forced Entry'. However, fans of the '70s show would remember her hilarious outing as Midge Pinciotti, the mother of Donna on the sitcom. However, the actress left the show in Season 3 and made a surprisingly short comeback in Season 6.
Roberts cited personal reasons for leaving the show. In 2001, she left to care for her terminally-ill husband Barry Roberts. In the show, the writers dealt with her absence by making her move to California for 'broadway'.
Roberts was not present in the sitcom for Season 4 and 5 at all, though it was mentioned that Donna (Laura Prepon) had left Point Place to live with her mother. However, Roberts was not shown on screen. Yet, Midge made a guest appearance in Season 6 for Eric and Donna's wedding that never took place. She returned in the Season 6 finale and was there for several episodes. At that time, her on-screen husband Bob (Don Stark) was dating Jackie's mother, and Midge was rather jealous. She stuck around for a while but finally exited the series. In 2006, Roberts's husband died, so she probably stepped away from acting in those final years.
'That '70s Show' focussed on teenagers living in Wisconsin, as well as the adults in their lives. The story centered on Red and Kitty Forman and their children Eric and Laurie as they lived next to the Pinciottis. Midge was portrayed as rather dim, but also emerged as Kitty's best friend in the series.
Midge will be missed.
