Jennifer Aniston's estranged mother has died

Jennifer Aniston's mother, Nancy Dow, has died.

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"It is with great sadness that my brother John and I announce the passing of our Mother Nancy Dow," the actress said in a statement.

"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."

In Touch Weekly reports the Friends star reportedly visited her mother - who she hadn't seen or spoken to in five years - on May 12.

"Jen must have had a wake-up call and wanted to see her mother one last time before she passes,” a source told the magazine.

Another source also revealed that Dow, also an actress, suffered a "series of strokes and lost the ability to speak and walk prior to her death".

According to Radar Online, the 79-year-old was rushed to hospital just after midnight on Sunday, with neighbours saying she was "apparently close to death".

Dow passed away earlier today in the US.

Dow and her superstar daughter had a rocky relationship, with Aniston revealing her mother was always "very critical of her".

"She was critical. She was very critical of me. Because she was a model, she was gorgeous, stunning," Aniston told The Hollywood Reporter last year.

"She was also very unforgiving. She would hold grudges that I just found so petty."

Dow - who starred in the TV shows The Beverly Hillbillies and The Wild Wild West - also released a tell-all book about her relationship with her daughter in 1999.

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