Daily Archives: February 26, 2009

Wendy Richard dies aged 65

Following a long illness with Cancer, Wendy Richard has died aged 65. For many this will not be unexpected but it will be a huge loss to many thousands of fans around the country.

Her agent Kevin Francis said: “She was incredibly brave and retained her sense of humour right to the end.”

Last October, Richard revealed she had an aggressive, terminal form of cancer. Soon after that she married her long-term partner John Burns.

She will be remembered for her two biggest roles that of Pauline Fowler in BBC1′s huge hit Eastenders and Are you being served in which she played Miss Brahms, the English working man’s totty!

Presenter Dale Winton had known Richard for years.

“I’m very saddened to hear the news, she was a real fighter and actually a very kind and funny lady in her own right,” he said.

“My thoughts are with her family, she will be missed.”

1.    1965 Aged 22, joins the cast of soap The Newcomers

2.    1970-73 Stars in four episodes of Dad’s Army as Private Walker’s girlfriend, Shirley

3.    1972 Plays Miss Willing in Carry On Matron

4.    1972-85 Stars as Miss Brahms in the series Are You Being Served?

5.    1985-2006 Appears in more than 1,400 episodes of EastEnders as Pauline Fowler

6.    2008 Films her last TV role as Mrs Crump in Marple: A Pocket Full Of Rye

In 2000, Richard was awarded the MBE for services to television and in 2007 she was given a British Soap Award for Lifetime Achievement for her role in EastEnders.

She will be missed and is another big loss to the British entertainment industry.…

David Cameron’s Loss

I’ve never been one to get involved in Political discussion, never been interested – apart from the politics in the United States when it every four years it’s time for America as a whole to choose their leader. There has always been something about this process that interests Westerners not remotely involved in this decision making process. Something romantic, glamorous maybe? I digress!

With that in mind I was saddened to hear that David Cameron’s son Ivan, who was severely disabled, had lost his battle and had died overnight. I met David Cameron a year ago when he came into work, he was standing in reception waiting to be ushered into a studio to record an interview but he smiled, said hello and we exchanged a few pleasantries despite being strangers. A very warm and gracious man, he had time for anyone who wished to give him a passing glance or a shake of the hand.

On the other hand, and this is why I mentioned I had no political affiliations, since Gordon Brown stepped into Tony Blair’s shoes, he has never quite grasped the role. Sure he has had a hell of a lot to deal with the country in decline financially at the moment but still – he never seems to exude confidence to the public. That said, my opinion of our Prime Minister changed somewhat yesterday when I sat and watched him pay tribute to Cameron and for the loss of his son. It was a heartfelt speech and an emotive one. I was moved, genuinely.

“I know that the whole house will want to express their sorrow at the death of Ivan Cameron,” Brown told MPs.

“He brought joy to all those around him. Every child is precious and irreplaceable. The death of a child …

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