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| Football pools winner who found fame overnight after promising to 'spend, spend, spend' dies | |
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| A football pools winner who found fame overnight after pledging to “spend, spend, spend” her winnings and who inspired a West End musical after her life began to unravel, has died aged 79. | A football pools winner who found fame overnight after pledging to “spend, spend, spend” her winnings and who inspired a West End musical after her life began to unravel, has died aged 79. |
| Viv Nicholson, from Castleford, West Yorkshire, was 25 years old and working in a liquorice factory in 1961 when she and her husband, Keith, won £152,000 – equivalent to £3.5m today. | Viv Nicholson, from Castleford, West Yorkshire, was 25 years old and working in a liquorice factory in 1961 when she and her husband, Keith, won £152,000 – equivalent to £3.5m today. |
| She was thrust into the limelight when, asked by reporters what she would do with her winnings, she made the now-famous claim that was splashed on the front of the tabloid newspapers the following day. | She was thrust into the limelight when, asked by reporters what she would do with her winnings, she made the now-famous claim that was splashed on the front of the tabloid newspapers the following day. |
| She stayed true to her word, spending the money in just three years on cars, jewellery, furs, champagne, parties and a sprawling ranch-style home. | She stayed true to her word, spending the money in just three years on cars, jewellery, furs, champagne, parties and a sprawling ranch-style home. |
| Her son, Howard, said she died on Saturday after what he described as a “long fight against dementia”. | Her son, Howard, said she died on Saturday after what he described as a “long fight against dementia”. |
| He said: “After suffering with dementia for five years, she died on 11 April, 2015 at Pinderfields Hospital with her sons at her side. | He said: “After suffering with dementia for five years, she died on 11 April, 2015 at Pinderfields Hospital with her sons at her side. |
| “Viv was a one-off in all ways – a loving and loved mother, a glamorous great-grandmother and a friend to many.” | “Viv was a one-off in all ways – a loving and loved mother, a glamorous great-grandmother and a friend to many.” |
| She suffered a series of crises as the money began to run out, beginning with the death of Mr Nicholson in a car crash in 1965 and followed by a tax bill that left her bankrupt. | She suffered a series of crises as the money began to run out, beginning with the death of Mr Nicholson in a car crash in 1965 and followed by a tax bill that left her bankrupt. |
| The highs and lows of her life were captured in a West End musical that premiered in 1999 and was named in honour of her catchphrase. Viv Nicholson in front of a poster for the West End musical about her life | The highs and lows of her life were captured in a West End musical that premiered in 1999 and was named in honour of her catchphrase. Viv Nicholson in front of a poster for the West End musical about her life |
| She published a memoir in 1978, of the same name, documenting her winning and extravagant ways, with a second book, detailing her struggle with alcoholism and depression, due to be published later this year. | She published a memoir in 1978, of the same name, documenting her winning and extravagant ways, with a second book, detailing her struggle with alcoholism and depression, due to be published later this year. |
| Her son said of the second biography: “The next part of her story, with which few are familiar, is no less dramatic. Her tale became a movie and a musical, resulting in another fortune won and lost, she suffered a difficult battle with drink, more than one attempt at suicide, and finally experienced recovery and salvation from the most unexpected of sources.” | Her son said of the second biography: “The next part of her story, with which few are familiar, is no less dramatic. Her tale became a movie and a musical, resulting in another fortune won and lost, she suffered a difficult battle with drink, more than one attempt at suicide, and finally experienced recovery and salvation from the most unexpected of sources.” |
| She remarried three times, with a second husband killed in a car crash and another from an overdose. | She remarried three times, with a second husband killed in a car crash and another from an overdose. |
| In an interview with the BBC in 2011, she said: “I haven’t got one regret. I can’t even feel sorry for Keith because I know I’m going to see him again. | In an interview with the BBC in 2011, she said: “I haven’t got one regret. I can’t even feel sorry for Keith because I know I’m going to see him again. |
| “We had a good time together, more before the money, because the money took it away from us.” | “We had a good time together, more before the money, because the money took it away from us.” |
| Asked what she would do with money if she won a second time, she said in 2011: “I’d go spend it. Because I haven’t spent nothing in ages.” | Asked what she would do with money if she won a second time, she said in 2011: “I’d go spend it. Because I haven’t spent nothing in ages.” |
| She said in 2011: “When we first won the money all we did was drink. I had never tasted whisky or champagne. We had lived poorly. | She said in 2011: “When we first won the money all we did was drink. I had never tasted whisky or champagne. We had lived poorly. |
| “I bought two houses, four cars and more clothes than I ever thought possible. I even dyed my hair to match whatever outfit I was going to wear. The only thing I didn’t do was end up in prison.” | “I bought two houses, four cars and more clothes than I ever thought possible. I even dyed my hair to match whatever outfit I was going to wear. The only thing I didn’t do was end up in prison.” |
| Her son asked for donations to be made in her memory to Dementia UK. | Her son asked for donations to be made in her memory to Dementia UK. |