Fleetwood Mac star Christine McVie’s cause of death emerges months after she died aged 79

4 April 2023, 07:53 | Updated: 4 April 2023, 11:20

Fleetwood Mac star Christine McVie died from a stroke while in hospital last year, it has been revealed.

The British singer-songwriter died in November following a "short illness" at the age of 79.

Her death certificate, obtained by US outlets, listed the stroke as one of the primary causes of her death, alongside "atrial fibrillation" and "large atrial thrombus".

According to the NHS, ischemic strokes are the most common type of stroke and occur "when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain".

Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate, and atrial thrombus is a type of blood clot, the NHS says.

Read More: Raquel Welch's death certificate reveals Hollywood icon died of cardiac arrest after fight with Alzheimer's disease

Read more: Passenger dies on Jet2 flight to Manchester after woman led to toilet 'in distress'

McVie's death certificate also listed a "metastatic malignancy of unknown origin" - referring to a cancer that spreads across the body - as a secondary cause.

Last year her family's statement read: "It is with a heavy heart we are informing you of Christine's death.

"We would like everyone to keep Christine in their hearts and remember the life of an incredible human being, and revered musician who was loved universally".

British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac were founded in London in 1967 and went on to become one of the most successful groups ever.

McVie was a later addition to the line-up and performed alongside Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, and her husband John McVie.

Read more: Phillip Schofield disowns paedophile brother Timothy after he's convicted of sexually abusing boy

She wrote Songbird, one of the band's most famous tracks, as well as hits including You Make Loving Fun, Oh Daddy and Little Lies.

In 1970, McVie released her first solo album, Christine Perfect, after her maiden name, following it up 14 years later with the self-titled Christine McVie, and In The Meantime in 2004.

In June last year she released another album titled Songbird, a collection of songs drawn from two of her previous solo albums.

McVie left Fleetwood Mac in 1998 after almost three decades but rejoined in 2014 when a one-off appearance at the O2 reignited her love of performing.

She was among the eight members of the band who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.