Big-hearted actor Hugh Grant is lending his support to charity Marie Curie Cancer Care as a thank you for its work with his late mother.

The Notting Hill star lost his mother Fynvola to pancreatic cancer in 2001, aged 63 - and admits he was unaware of the charity's good deeds before his mum's diagnosis.

He says, "Mum was very determined - as apparently most people are in her situation - to die at home and it simply wouldn't have been possible without them.

"She was in quite a lot of pain and very weak and needed 24-hour care. They were just incredibly discreet and good humoured, and above all, astonishingly kind."

And Grant admits the work of the charity helped keep his mother in good spirits despite the disease, admitting Fynvola called those who sent 'Deepest Sympathy' cards "ghouls", and christened one of her doctors "Dr Death".

He adds, "She went on being silly until the end. I only saw her scared once in the whole 18-month experience."

Grant will launch the Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal on Saturday.