TRIBUTES have been paid to the actress Lynda Bellingham who has passed away at the age of 66.
Ms. Bellingham had revealed last year that she had been diagnosed with colon cancer and for the past few months had not shied away from talking about her battle against the disease (see below). The actress had also revealed that she intended to stop her chemotherapy treatment as part of her wish to survive long enough to spend a final Christmas with her husband.
Born Meredith Lee Hughes in Montreal, Canada, Ms. Bellingham grew up in Buckinghamshire after being adopted.
During her career she enjoyed success both in both television and films, and was also credited as a producer and writer.
Early work on television included roles in shows such as A Family At War, The Fenn Street Gang and General Hospital. One of her early film credits was Sweeney! (1977) alongside John Thaw.
But it was her role in a long-running TV ad for Oxo which was to make her a national star.
Later television credits included work on popular shows such as Doctor Who, All Creatures Great and Small and Faith in the Future. In recent years she had appeared in a wide range of television productions, including At Home with the Braithwaites, Bonkers and New Tricks.
In recent times she had been a popular member of the panel on ITV’s Loose Women show.
Only days before her death, Ms. Bellingham had published her memoir There’s Something I Have Been Dying To Tell You.
News of her death came in a statement from her agent, Sue Latimer, who said Ms. Bellingham had passed away in the arms of her husband, Michael Pattemore.
Ms. Bellingham had received an OBE only months before her death.
View an archive interview with Lynda Bellingham
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