Cluedo kills off Mrs White and replaces her with new female character

Cluedo have killed off the housekeeper Mrs White. Photo / iStock

The makers of famous board game Cluedo have killed off the 'dated' housekeeper Mrs White and replaced her with another female character called Dr Orchid.

After more than 60 years in the game, the housekeeper of the Tudor Mansion is no longer a suspect behind the murder of Dr Black.

Instead, toy maker Hasbro is replacing her with another female named Dr Orchid - revealed to be Dr Black's adopted daughter.

Dr Orchid is a biologist with a PhD in plant toxicology and was privately educated in Switzerland until her expulsion after an incident involving daffodils resulted in a near-fatal poisoning.

It was also revealed that after her expulsion from private school, Dr Orchid was educated at home by none other than doomed character Mrs White.

According to Hasbro's press release, while researching her PhD in plant toxicology, Dr Orchid discovered a plant which possessed incredible medicinal properties. But she decided not to share this information with anyone, including her adoptive father.

Craig Wilkins, marketing director for Hasbro in the UK and Ireland, said: "It was a difficult decision to say goodbye to Mrs. White - but after 70 years of suspicious activity, we decided that one of the characters had to go.

"Dr Orchid is a brilliant new character with a rich backstory and links to the Black fortune.

"We're sure families across the UK, Ireland, and the world will continue to create thrilling murder mysteries with all six suspects inside of the Tudor Mansion.'

Cluedo was invented in 1944 by Birmingham-based factory munitions worker Anthony E Pratt. It was originally called Murder! and conceived as a game to play in bomb shelters.

When Waddingtons purchased Pratt's game they gave it the trademark name of Cluedo - a play on "clue" and "Ludo" which is the Latin for play.

The game teaches deductive logic and strategy and encourages critical thinking.