Lynda Bellingham
Lynda Bellingham | |
---|---|
Born | Meredith Lee Hughes 31 May 1948 |
Died | 19 October 2014 Westminster, London, England | (aged 66)
Resting place | Townsend Cemetery, Crewkerne, Crewkerne, Somerset, England |
Alma mater | Royal Central School of Speech and Drama |
Occupation(s) | Broadcaster, actress, author |
Years active | 1971–2014 |
Notable work | Loose Women |
Spouses |
|
Children | 2 |
Lynda Bellingham
Early life
This section needs additional citations for verification. (April 2024) |
Bellingham was born Meredith Hughes in
Film and television
This section needs additional citations for verification. (January 2024) |
Acting
Bellingham's first television role was an appearance in The Misfit when she was 21.[citation needed] She played a nurse in the 1970s ATV afternoon soap opera General Hospital.[citation needed] Her early film credits included roles in Confessions of a Driving Instructor (1976), Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers (1977) and Riding High (1981) with Eddie Kidd. She also appeared in the comedy short The Waterloo Bridge Handicap (1978) with Leonard Rossiter. Prior to her brief role as Janice Wyatt in Sweeney! (1977), the first big-screen adaptation of the TV police drama series The Sweeney, she had appeared in the Sweeney episode "Trojan Bus" (1975) in which she played Nancy King, accomplice to two Australian robbers. In 1981, she appeared in the ITV comedy-drama Funny Man set in the music hall of the late 1920s.
Her other roles included Helen Herriot in the
Bellingham appeared as the Inquisitor in the 14-part
From 2000 to 2003, Bellingham played Pauline Farnell, the compassionate accountant in
Television commercials
Bellingham played the central character in the long-running "
Television presenting
On 17 December 2010, Bellingham guest-presented the ITV programme Lorraine.
In 2012, she presented her own cookery series called
Loose Women
Bellingham joined Loose Women on 10 April 2007, appearing alongside Carol McGiffin and Coleen Nolan, and continued as a regular on the show until 2011. In all, Bellingham made more than 300 appearances on the show, including a special appearance in 2014 shortly before her death. Two editions of Loose Women were dedicated to Bellingham after her death.
Strictly Come Dancing
In 2009, Bellingham was one of the contestants in the
Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' scores | Result | ||||
Craig Revel Horwood | Alesha Dixon | Len Goodman | Bruno Tonioli | Total | |||
1 | Tango / "Under Pressure" | 3 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 21 | Safe |
2 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 23 | Safe |
3 | Paso Doble / "Devil Woman" | 5 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 25 | Bottom Two |
4 | Foxtrot / "Calendar Girl" | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 24 | Eliminated |
Other appearances
In 1993, Bellingham was the subject of This Is Your Life when she was surprised by Michael Aspel on the set of Second Thoughts.[8]
In February 1999, she was part of the Heated Rollers comedy team alongside Gwyneth Strong and Joanna Monro, with the Heated Rollers programme being the first all-women sketch show broadcast on BBC Radio 2.[9][10][11]
In 2010, Bellingham was the voice-over for British rap band N-Dubz's reality show on Channel 4.
In 2011, Bellingham featured in a short film entitled Too Close for Comfort, playing the character of a mother to her real-life son, actor and celebrity butler Michael Peluso (from ITV's fly-on-the-wall documentary series The Savoy).[12][13][14][15] Bellingham and Peluso reprised their roles for the follow-up web series of the same name in 2014. Mirroring Bellingham's personal life, her character had developed cancer.
Bellingham also appeared as a contestant on the TV show Celebrity Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
Live performances
Twice in the 1960s, Bellingham appeared in the Pendley Open Air Shakespeare Festival.
In January 2005, she appeared in a play entitled
In October 2007, she appeared in the play
From September 2008 to July 2009, Bellingham played the role of Chris Harper in the stage version of the hit film Calendar Girls on tour and at the Noël Coward Theatre in the West End. She returned to the show for further tours in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Over the Christmas/New Year period of 2011/12, she played the Fairy Godmother in the pantomime Cinderella at the Birmingham Hippodrome. She played the role again at the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford over the Christmas/New Year period of 2012/13.
Bellingham was due to star in
Writing
In 2010, Bellingham launched her book Lost and Found, a story of her life and career and toured the country for private readings.[1] Her novel Tell Me Tomorrow was published in 2013. In 2014, Bellingham's autobiography, There's Something I'm Dying to Tell You, was issued shortly before her death.[17] Her final story, The Boy I Love was published posthumously in November 2014.[18]
Personal life
Bellingham was married three times, first in 1975 to film and theatre producer Greg Smith.[19] According to Bellingham in her 2010 autobiography, the marriage was one driven primarily by sex, with Smith later admitting to numerous affairs with other actresses, including some who sent nude photos to their home.
Her second marriage (1981–96) was to restaurateur Nunzio Peluso, with whom she had two sons, Michael and Robbie.[20] The couple were introduced to each other at the Italian restaurant La Famiglia in Chelsea, London, in the early 1980s by friend and fellow actor Christopher Biggins. After a whirlwind courtship and romance, the couple married but the relationship was marred by Peluso's jealousy of Bellingham's former lovers leading to a series of altercations, fights and domestic abuse towards her. Around the same time as Bellingham was being abused by Peluso, she was starring in the Oxo adverts and felt bound to hide the truth about her marriage for fear of spoiling her image in the commercials. As Bellingham revealed in her 2010 autobiography Lost & Found: My Story: "maybe if my private life had been happier I would have enjoyed doing it more. As it was, I felt I was living a lie. Being the nation's favourite mum on screen and going home to an abusive relationship was heartbreaking [...] the irony was horrific. Here I was, the Oxo mum, hiding behind closed doors, isolated from her friends and family." The couple divorced in 1996, Bellingham giving her former husband half of everything she owned, although he continued to intimidate her. A restraining order was granted in 2000 to keep Peluso away from his former wife. On 31 May 2008, Bellingham married her boyfriend, Spain-based timeshare salesman, Michael Pattemore (known on Loose Women as "Mr Spain"), at St Stephen Walbrook on her 60th birthday.[citation needed]
Bellingham was appointed
Illness and death
On 16 July 2013, it was announced that Bellingham had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. She released a statement saying she was "not going to die."[23]
In September 2014, Bellingham confirmed that her cancer had
On 3 November 2014, her funeral took place at
Filmography
Film roles
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1976 | Confessions of a Driving Instructor | Mary Truscott | |
1977 | Sweeney! | Janice Wyatt | |
1977 | Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers | Valerie | |
1978 | The Waterloo Bridge Handicap | Miss Beamish | |
1981 | Riding High | Miss Mott | |
1998 | The Scarlet Tunic | Emily Marlowe | |
1999 | Don't Go Breaking My Heart | Maxine | |
2000 | The Romanovs: An Imperial Family | Empress Alexandra Feodorovna | |
2001 | Bodywork | Poppy Fields | |
2004 | Devil's Gate | Marlene |
Television roles
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1971 | The Misfit | Wee Jeanie | Episode: "On the New Establishment" |
1971 | ITV Sunday Night Theatre | Nurse Mary Tiller | Episode: "Mr. Pargiter" |
1971 | Kate | Hattie | 2 Episodes |
1971 | A Family at War | Chrissie | 3 Episodes |
1972 | The Fenn Street Gang | Liza | Episode: "From Sudbury with Love" |
1972–1973 | General Hospital | Nurse Hilda Price | 27 Episodes |
1973 | Tell Tarby | Nurse Norma Snockers | 6 Episodes |
1974 | Z-Cars | Pauline Tyson | Episode: "Pressure" |
1974 | A Little Bit of Wisdom | Gwen Morgan | Episode: "A Little Bit of Respect" |
1974 | Billy Liar | Alison | Episode: "Billy and the New Life" |
1975 | Within These Walls | Yvonne Melton | Episode: "The Slap" |
1975 | Z-Cars | Irene | 3 Episodes |
1975 | The Sweeney | Nancy King | Episode: "Trojan Bus" |
1976 | Couples | Jack | 6 Episodes |
1976 | Whodunnit? | Suzy Booth | Episode: "Dead Ball" |
1976 | Yus My Dear
|
Carole | Episode: "Woman Trouble" |
1977 | Yes, Honestly | Amanda | Episode: "Entertaining Mr. Roscoe" |
1977 | Doctor on the Go | Eleanor Wilcox | Episode: "What's in a Name?" |
1977 | Big Boy Now! | Brenda Bollington | Episode: "Supergirl" |
1977 | Cottage to Let | Barbara | Episode: "Second Opinion" |
1977 | The Fuzz | WPC Pamela ‘Purrfect’ Purvis | All 7 Episodes |
1978 | The Pink Medicine Show | Various | All 6 Episodes |
1979 | Don't Forget to Write! | Angela | Episode: "Enter Hitler" |
1979 | Hazell | Vanessa | Episode: "Hazell Gets the Part" |
1979 | Shoestring | Nicola | Episode: "Find the Lady" |
1980 | The Professionals | Betty Hope | Episode: "Slush Fund" |
1980 | Mackenzie | Ruth Isaacs | All 12 Episodes |
1981 | Funny Man | Gwen | 11 Episodes |
1981 | Blake's 7 | Vena | Episode: "Headhunter" |
1982 | Murphy's Mob | Elaine Murphy | 12 Episodes |
1982 | Angels | Kathy Stone | 5 Episodes |
1982 | Educating Marmalade | Registrar | Episode: "Walkies" |
1984 | The Gentle Touch | Alison Fairbrother | 2 Episodes |
1986 | Doctor Who | The Inquisitor | 14 Episodes |
1987 | Filthy Rich & Catflap | Ms Tomkins | Episode: #1.4 |
1987 | Screen Two | Mary Morris | Episode: "The Vision" |
1988–1990 | All Creatures Great and Small | Helen Herriot | 47 Episodes |
1990–1993 | Jackanory | Storyteller | 9 Episodes |
1991–1994 | Second Thoughts | Faith Greyshott | All 49 Episodes |
1994 | Martin Chuzzlewit | Mrs. Lupin | 5 Episodes |
1995 | Julia Jekyll and Harriet Hyde | Aunt Cassandra | Episode: "A Fright for Aunt Cassandra" |
1995–1998 | Faith in the Future | Faith Greyshott | All 22 Episodes |
1998 | Casualty | Steph Yates | Episode: "Trust" |
2000–2003 | At Home with the Braithwaites | Pauline Farnell | 19 Episodes |
2000 | Reach for the Moon | Penny Martin | All 6 Episodes |
2000 | Bob Martin | Lynda Bellingham | Episode: "Mr. and Mrs." |
2001 | Waking the Dead | Mary Mantel | 2 Episodes |
2001 | My Uncle Silas | Mrs. Gadsby | Episode: "The Widder" |
2002 | Happy Together | Teresa | TV film |
2003 | Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairytale | Landlady | TV film |
2004 | Midsomer Murders | Jane Willows | Episode: "The Fisher King" |
2004 | Dalziel and Pascoe | Jess Pitman | Episode: "Great Escapes" |
2004 | The Last Detective | Councillor Marjorie Balsam | Episode: "The Long Bank Holiday" |
2004 | Monkey Trousers | Various | TV film |
2004 | The Bill | Irene Radford | 19 Episodes |
2004 | Odd Socks | Magdalena | Unaired TV series |
2005 | Murder in Suburbia | Milly Goodman | Episode: "The Wedding" |
2006 | Holby City | Caitlin Lucas | Episode: "Brother's Keeper" |
2007 | Bonkers | Mrs. Wadlow | 5 episodes |
2007 | New Tricks | Det. Supt. Karen Hardwick | Episode: "Casualty" |
2007 | Robin Hood | Queen Eleanor | Episode: "Treasure of the Nation" |
2008 | Re-extinct | Marg Precious | TV film |
2008 | Love Soup | Matilda | Episode: "Whose God Is It Anyway?" |
2009 | Mister Eleven | Shirley | Both 2 Episodes |
2011 | Just Rosie | Lynda Bellingham | TV film |
2014–2015 | Too Close for Comfort | Mary | All 4 Episodes |
Stage
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1969 | A Man for All Seasons | Margaret More | Lyceum Theatre, Crewe |
1969–1970 | Doctor in the House | Monica | Lyceum Theatre, Crewe |
1970 | The Wheel of Fortune | Amy | Lyceum Theatre, Crewe |
Toad of Toad Hall | Ratty | Lyceum Theatre, Crewe | |
1974 | Bordello | Rachel | Sondheim Theatre |
1975 | Norman, Is that You? | Mary | Phoenix Theatre |
My Fat Friend | Vicky | Theatre Royal, Windsor | |
1977 | Castle in the Air | Boss Trent | Theatre Royal, Windsor |
1978 | The Flip Side | Sharon | Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Croydon |
1985 | Strippers | Stripper | Phoenix Theatre |
1985–1986 | Look, No Hans! | Monica | Novello Theatre |
2002 | Marry Me You Idiot | Elinor Waugh | Jermyn Theatre, London |
2005 | Losing Louis | Elizabeth | Trafalgar Studios
|
2006 | Sugar Mummies | Maggie | Royal Court Theatre |
2007 | Vincent River | Anita | Trafalgar Studios
|
2008–2009 | Calendar Girls | Chris | Noël Coward Theatre |
2010–2012 | Chris | UK Tour | |
2011–2012 | Cinderella | Fairy Godmother | Birmingham Hippodrome |
2012–2013 | Cinderella | Fairy Godmother | Alahmbra Theatre, Bradford |
2013–2014 | Dick Whittington
|
Fairy Bowbells | White Rock Theatre, Hastings |
Further reading
- Lynda Bellingham, Lost and Found: My Story (Ebury Press, 2010) ISBN 978-0091936419
- Lynda Bellingham, Tell Me Tomorrow (Simon & Schuster Ltd, 2014) ISBN 978-1471102813
- Lynda Bellingham, There's Something I've Been Dying to Tell You (Coronet, 2014) ISBN 978-1473608566
- Lynda Bellingham, "tell me tomorrow" (Simon & Schuster Ltd, 2013) ISBN 978-0750539531
References
- ^ a b c "Lynda Bellingham – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
- ^ a b Hagan, Angela (8 November 1996). "My Future seems brighter; Lynda Bellingham". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ "Obituary: Lynda Bellingham". BBC News. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
- ^ Penfold, Paul (25 January 2002). "Don't say the O word; Why Britain's most famous TV mum hates a certain gravy after her axing from the Oxo advert". Daily Record. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ Maund, Allison (2–8 October 2004). "The last temptation?". Inside Soap. No. 40. p. 33.
- ^ Laws, Roz (28 January 2007). "TV & radio: Lynda's bonkers sexy role". Sunday Mercury. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ "Linda Bellingham". This Is Your Life. Season 33. 1993.
- ^ "BBC Radio 4 Extra – Heated Rollers, Episode 1".
- ^ "BBC Radio 4 Extra – Heated Rollers".
- ^ "BBC Radio 4 Extra – Heated Rollers, Episode 4".
- ^ "Lynda Bellingham's son Michael Peluso joins the Loose Women to pay an emotional tribute to his late mum".
- ^ "The Savoy – Watch episodes".
- ^ "The Savoy – Welcome Back".
- ^ "The Savoy – Five Star Standards".
- ^ The Guardian, Michael Billington
- ^ Davies, Caroline (22 October 2014). "Lynda Bellingham's last interview screened just days after her death". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
- )
- ^ Sheridan, Simon (1 May 2009). "Greg Smith: Producer of the 'Confessions' films". The Independent.
- ^ "Oxo mum's life of domestic violence". The Guardian. 24 December 1999.
- ^ "No. 60728". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2013. p. 10.
- ^ Weaver, Matthew (20 October 2014). "Lynda Bellingham, actor and presenter, dies aged 66". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
- ^ Foster, Alistair (16 July 2013). "Lynda Bellingham: 'I will deal with this cancer, I'm not going to die'". Evening Standard.
- ^ "Lynda Bellingham may have months to live". Sky News. 28 September 2014.
- ^ "Ex-Loose Women star Lynda Bellingham: My cancer is terminal and I only have months to live". Daily Record. 28 September 2014.
- ^ Stephenson, Hannah (29 September 2014). "Ex-Loose Women star Lynda Bellingham: I want one last Christmas with my family before saying goodbye and going to sleep". Daily Record.
- ^ "Lynda Bellingham: Tributes paid after actress dies at 66". BBC News. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
External links
- Official website (2014 snapshot from Internet Archive)
- Lynda Bellingham at IMDb