Jennifer Aniston has announced her mother, television actress Nancy Dow, has died after a long illness.

The Friends star issued a statement confirming Nancy had passed away “peacefully surrounded by family and friends” at the age of 79.

Jennifer had visited her estranged mother for the first time in nearly five years on May 12, according to US magazine In Touch.

Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston (Nina Prommer/AP)

In a statement, Jennifer said: “It is with great sadness that my brother John and I announce the passing of our mother Nancy Dow.

“She was 79 years old and passed peacefully surrounded by family and friends after enduring a long illness. We ask that our family’s privacy be respected as we grieve our loss.”

Jennifer told the Hollywood Reporter last year that her mother was “gorgeous, stunning” but also “very critical”.

“She was also very unforgiving,” the actress said. “She would hold grudges that I just found so petty.”

Nancy and Jennifer’s father, soap star John Aniston, divorced when Jennifer was nine.

Nancy’s television career included roles in The Beverly Hillbillies in 1966 and The Wild Wild West in 1967. She reportedly suffered a stroke in 2011 and a second one a year later.