The British mother-in-law of Brittany Murphy, the 32-year-old actress who died earlier this week, has spoken exclusively to the JC about her “shock” at the sudden death.

Ms Murphy, the star of Clueless and 8 Mile, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles on Sunday morning after reportedly collapsing in the shower at her home.

In May 2007, Ms Murphy, whose mother, Sharon, is Ashkenazi, married British Jewish screenwriter Simon Monjack in a small Jewish ceremony in Los Angeles.

Mr Monjack’s mother, hypnotherapist Linda, said she was “devastated” when she heard the news.

She said: “He has lost the love of his life. It’s very hard for everybody, especially Simon and Brittany’s mother.

“I’ve spoken to her mother and she is distraught. Brittany was an only child and her mother was living with them.”

Mrs Monjack, who lives in Buckinghamshire, said that her 39-year-old son was not coping well with the death.

She said: “I was up at two o’clock in the morning talking to him last night. He’s not good at all. It’s such a shock.

“I was hoping to go to the funeral but I don’t know if I’ll be able to get a flight.”

She said that she had first met Brittany “right at the beginning” but did not know her “terribly well”.

"We're just completely devastated," she added.