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Lynda Bellingham, presenter and actor, dies aged 66 Lynda Bellingham, actor and presenter, dies aged 66
(35 minutes later)
The broadcaster and actor Lynda Bellingham has died within a month of revealing she had stopped her chemotherapy for cancer. The broadcaster and actor Lynda Bellingham, known as “the nation’s favourite mum” for her role in a long-running series of adverts for Oxo, has died after a very public battle with cancer.
Her agent, Sue Latimer, said the 66-year-old – who was best known for her role as the mother in long-running Oxo advertisements – died “in her husband’s arms” on Sunday. She had been suffering cancer of the colon since July 2013. Her agent, Sue Latimer, said the 66-year-old died in the arms of her husband Michael Pattemore on Sunday. She had been suffering from cancer of the colon since July 2013.
Last month, Bellingham revealed she had weeks to live after deciding to end her chemotherapy; the cancer had spread to her lungs and liver.Last month, Bellingham revealed she had weeks to live after deciding to end her chemotherapy; the cancer had spread to her lungs and liver.
Before her death, Bellingham recorded a farewell interview on the ITV show Loose Women, on which she had appeared as a panellist. Pattermore was her third husband after two troubled previous marriages.
Asked how she wanted to be remembered, she said: “Just [as] an honest person.” Her second husband, Nunzio Peluso, with whom she had two sons, Michael and Robbie, was given a restraining order when the couple divorced in 1996 after subjecting Bellingham to years of physical and mental abuse. At the time Bellingham was still appearing as the wry “Oxo-mum” holding together a harassed modern family. By 1999, she had recorded 42 episodes of the soap-style adverts as the gravy-making mother. The award-winning adverts were said to have resulted in 10% increase in Oxo sales, and secured Bellingham’s place as a domestic icon.
In her autobiography, she wrote: “Playing the nation’s favourite mum on screen and going home to an unhappy and abusive relationship was extremely stressful.”
Politicians including the Labour leader, Ed Milliband, and the culture secretary, Sajid Javid, were among those who paid tribute.
Before her death, Bellingham recorded a farewell interview on the ITV daytime chat show Loose Women, on which she had appeared as a panellist. Asked how she wanted to be remembered, she said: “Just [as] an honest person.”
The Daily Mail quoted her telling the programme: “Trust is a huge thing. Not just as an actor, not just as a lover, not just as a wife … Just to say ‘you could trust her’.The Daily Mail quoted her telling the programme: “Trust is a huge thing. Not just as an actor, not just as a lover, not just as a wife … Just to say ‘you could trust her’.
Latimer said: “Lynda died peacefully in her husband’s arms yesterday [Sunday] evening at a London hospital. Her family, to whom she was devoted, would like to thank the nurses and staff for their tremendous care and support.Latimer said: “Lynda died peacefully in her husband’s arms yesterday [Sunday] evening at a London hospital. Her family, to whom she was devoted, would like to thank the nurses and staff for their tremendous care and support.
“As an actor, writer and presenter, Lynda was a consummate professional to the very end. Those of us privileged to have known her personally will miss the entertaining, life-enhancing, true and honest friend that blessed our lives.”“As an actor, writer and presenter, Lynda was a consummate professional to the very end. Those of us privileged to have known her personally will miss the entertaining, life-enhancing, true and honest friend that blessed our lives.”
Bellingham’s decision to end her treatment was revealed in a newspaper serialisation of her forthcoming autobiography.Bellingham’s decision to end her treatment was revealed in a newspaper serialisation of her forthcoming autobiography.
She wrote: “The decision to give up chemo was a huge relief because I took back some control of myself. It’s there on the table if I want it. I don’t want the boys or my husband to see me die a little sad old lady. I want to go out there as I am.”She wrote: “The decision to give up chemo was a huge relief because I took back some control of myself. It’s there on the table if I want it. I don’t want the boys or my husband to see me die a little sad old lady. I want to go out there as I am.”
She also wrote that she wanted to live to see one more Christmas.She also wrote that she wanted to live to see one more Christmas.
Woman’s Hour presenter Jenni Murray, who is suffering from breast cancer, tweeted: “So sad that #LindaBellingham won’t have that last Christmas with her husband and sons. A great woman gone far too young.” Woman’s Hour presenter Jenni Murray tweeted: “So sad that #LindaBellingham won’t have that last Christmas with her husband and sons. A great woman gone far too young.”
Bellingham’s pre-recorded farewell appearance on Loose Women is due to be screened on Wednesday.Bellingham’s pre-recorded farewell appearance on Loose Women is due to be screened on Wednesday.
Fellow Loose Women presenter Kaye Adams said on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “That [honesty] is just one of the ways she’ll be remembered: honest, generous, kind, courageous, intelligent, thoughtful – all of those things.”Fellow Loose Women presenter Kaye Adams said on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “That [honesty] is just one of the ways she’ll be remembered: honest, generous, kind, courageous, intelligent, thoughtful – all of those things.”
She added: “She always left your feeling better about life.” She added: “She always left you feeling better about life.”
Bellingham was awarded an OBE in 2013 for charity work. She was married three times and is survived by her two sons. Bellingham was awarded an OBE in 2013 for charity work. She had been a high-profile supporter of Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support.
During her career she also appeared in the long-running TV drama about Yorkshire vets, All Creatures Great And Small, and starred in a touring production of Calendar Girls.During her career she also appeared in the long-running TV drama about Yorkshire vets, All Creatures Great And Small, and starred in a touring production of Calendar Girls.
Other acting roles included the sitcoms 1990s TV show Faith in the Future and Second Thoughts, which began on BBC Radio 4 in 1988 before transferring to ITV.Other acting roles included the sitcoms 1990s TV show Faith in the Future and Second Thoughts, which began on BBC Radio 4 in 1988 before transferring to ITV.
The Labour MP Chris Bryant, shadow minister for welfare for reform, described Bellingham as “an embodiment of mischievous graciousness”.The Labour MP Chris Bryant, shadow minister for welfare for reform, described Bellingham as “an embodiment of mischievous graciousness”.
Actor Simon Pegg, who starred with Bellingham in Faith in the Future, said: “Lynda Bellingham, a gorgeous, brassy, funny, generous, talented human being. My first TV mother figure and a treasured friend.”Actor Simon Pegg, who starred with Bellingham in Faith in the Future, said: “Lynda Bellingham, a gorgeous, brassy, funny, generous, talented human being. My first TV mother figure and a treasured friend.”
Nadia Sawalha, who appeared with Bellingham on both the Oxo adverts, and Loose Women, called her an “absolute live wire”. She added: “She would come into a room and light the place up. Everybody loved her,”