SOUTH SOMERSET NEWS: Lynda Bellingham RIP

WHEN Lynda Bellingham was at the Waterstone’s bookstore in Yeovil four years ago it was just like going along and meeting the real “Oxo mum” millions of us had seen her as on the TV adverts in the 1980s.

Very approachable, very chatty, glowingly warm, as if you had known her for many years and were going to meet her for a quick catch-up on the gossip.

“If she’d had a kettle next to her she’d have put it on, sat us down and invited us to stay and have a cuppa with her,” said the Yeovil Press’ Steve Sowden who met the actress when she was in town in June 2010 to sign copies of her autobiography Lost and Found.

Little did anyone know back then that we would be waking up this morning (Monday, October 20, 2014) to the desperately sad news that the much-loved actress and presenter had died at the age of 66.

PHOTO - TOP: Lynda Bellingham.

PHOTO - RIGHT: Lynda Bellingham signs a copy of her book, Lost and Found, for a fan at the Waterstone's bookstore in Yeovil in June 2010.

Her agent, Sue Latimer, said the actress, who had been battling cancer, died yesterday (Sunday, October 19, 2014).

“Lynda died peacefully in her husband’s arms yesterday at a London hospital,” a statement said issued on behalf of the family.

“Her family would like to thank the nurses and staff for their tremendous care and support.”

Bellingham was best known for her long-running role as a mother in the Oxo TV adverts. She also appeared in a number of TV series including All Creatures Great and Small.

In recent years she was on the panel of ITV’s Loose Women.

Bellingham had been battling colon cancer since being diagnosed in July 2013. She decided to end her treatment in August this year to limit her family’s suffering and the cancer spread to her lungs and liver.

The actress made a number of TV and radio interviews to talk about her decision to stop the treatment – but had said she wanted to spend one last Christmas with her beloved family.

Sadly that will now not be possible.

Back in 2009 Bellingham was a special guest at the Mayor of Yeovil’s annual fundraising charity ball at Westland leisure complex in Yeovil which was raising money for Leukaemia Research and the Alzheimer’s Society.

Local radio presenter Steve Carpenter, who was providing the music for the ball, told the Yeovil Press this morning that he met her during the event.

“She was an extremely nice lady,” he said. “This is a very very sad day.”

PHOTO - RIGHT: Lynda Bellingham and her husband Michael Pattemore.

Bellingham has close links with South Somerset as her husband, Michael Pattemore, comes from Crewkerne.

It is understood that Bellingham will be buried in Crewkerne.

Both Bellingham and her husband were adopted as children and were big supporters of the Barnardo’s charity.

Earlier this year she received an OBE from Buckingham Palace.

Tags:
News.