(31st
May 1948 - 19th October 2014)
By
DJ Forrest
Lynda Bellingham was
born Meredith Lee Hughes in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on 31st May 1948, and was
put up for adoption when she was 4 months old because of her strict family
upbringing, - as she was born out of wedlock.
Her adopted parents Donald and Ruth Bellingham lived in Buckinghamshire,
England.
Lynda’s acting debut
began as a nurse in ITV’s afternoon soap opera General Hospital in 1970, from
there she starred in Sweeney, Confessions of a Driving Instructor and Stand Up,
Virgin Soldiers, but it was her role in ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ as the
wife of country vet James Herriot that saw Lynda come into her own after
stepping into an already established character played originally by Carol
Drinkwater.
In the early 80’s we
were to see more of Lynda in another wife and mother role, this time as the Oxo
Mum, promoting the well known brand from 1983-1999. The adverts showed the family blossom and
grow and finally move away from the family home. The adverts ended when the whole family moved
out.
Despite her family roles
from Second Thoughts to Faith in the Future, that had you comfortably settled
with pipe and slippers, Lynda was to take a bigger role lasting 14 episodes in
1986, as the Inquisitor in Doctor Who’s The Trial of a Time Lord alongside Colin
Baker’s Doctor. Lynda reprised the role
again in Big Finish Productions’ audio series Gallifrey and again in Trial of
the Valeyard.
Lynda was to meet fellow
co-star Peter Davison again when she played the role of accountant in At Home with
the Braithwaites. If you remember, Peter
played Tristan Farnon in ‘All Creatures Great and Small.’
But for me, the role I
remember her well for, and one that set her apart from all other roles in the
past, was her evil villainess character in The Bill – Irene Radford. Lynda for me was an actress who could play a
nice as nine pence role one minute but could with the flick of a wrist play an
evil personified character the next, and there was no love in Irene Radford. But she was a bloody great character.
On the 30th December
2013, Lynda was awarded an OBE for her charity work with Cancer Research UK and
Macmillan Cancer Support. In an article on
ITV news website, Lynda had said that it had been a long and tough year. "...but
this award is just a fantastic way to move forward. I feel honoured and inspired and very
grateful."
On 19th
October 2014, Lynda who had been battling with colon cancer died in her
husband’s arms in hospital. She had
hoped to come off chemotherapy in November in order to spend her final Christmas
with her family.
Although I had never had
the opportunity to meet Lynda, she oozed warmth and zest through the tv
screen. In all the time I saw her on
television, I don’t think I ever stopped smiling, well maybe aside from Irene
Radford...To me Lynda will always be the person who put a smile on my
face. She had such a great personality,
and will be sadly missed by all.
Safe journey Lynda.
Comments left by the fans - please feel free to add your own in the comment box below.
Psyche Gry Christoffersen: Very sad. My dad is 67 and has lung cancer that's grown into his spine. I doubt he has a year left. It really is way too early an age.
Michele Fearn: A lovely lady full of fun. So sad she went so quickly. Thinking of her family x
Ianto Tarrant: A wonderful lady.
Comments left by the fans - please feel free to add your own in the comment box below.
Psyche Gry Christoffersen: Very sad. My dad is 67 and has lung cancer that's grown into his spine. I doubt he has a year left. It really is way too early an age.
Michele Fearn: A lovely lady full of fun. So sad she went so quickly. Thinking of her family x
Ianto Tarrant: A wonderful lady.
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