Stars have paid tribute to comedian Victoria Wood, who has died aged 62 “after a short but fearless battle with cancer”.
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Victoria Wood spent the final hours of her life laughing and joking with her family at her home in north London.
Councillor Mike Connolly, leader of Bury Council, said: “It’s so very sad to hear of Victoria’s death”.
She then wrote, produced and starred in “Dinnerladies” in 1998, a sitcom about staff working in a fictional canteen factory in Manchester, for which she nabbed a number of awards including Best New TV Comedy in 1998.
Wood achieved fame in the mid-1980s as an observational comic and writer, collaborating frequently with actors Julie Walters and Celia Imrie on a variety of woman-centric comedy sketches and dramas for television.
The star also made documentaries including Victoria’s Empire about the British Empire and Victoria Wood’s Big Fat Documentary about the diet industry. “There will be an unfillable void left on all levels and we will miss her deeply”.
“It was her northern roots which she drew on as inspiration and I think the fact that an ordinary northern girl like her can use her talent to such great effect in a fabulous career is a real inspiration for our pupils”.
She received two government honors: the OBE in 1997 and a CBE in 2008.
“It is a great shock, particularly as I am the eldest of the four children of Stanley and Helen Wood, and Victoria the youngest, 13 years younger than me”.
I am shocked. Thank you from the bottom of my heart Victoria for your laughs and inspiration”, Rory Bremner: “No. NO. This is too much.
An old newspaper cutting of a young Victoria Wood on Morecambe promenade.
She also won best actress for her role in Houswife, 49 in 2007 – which also won best drama – and was nominated for another ten awards in a career spanning 30 years.
His sister was always generous with her time for her fans, stopping after shows to speak to them.
Victoria Wood’s devastated brother Chris Foote Wood, 75, yesterday (Wed) paid tribute to his sister following her death at the age of 62.
She separated from husband Geoffrey Durham aka magician the Great Soprendo in 2002 and is survived by their children Grace and Henry.
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Ms Rantzen has spoken of her continuing admiration for Ms Wood. She was brilliant, amusing and so kind to me in my life and career. A super person and a super and unique talent. “I was very used to seeing her do her stand up in smaller halls and theatres but for her to be able to come on stage on her own and entertain, control and use an audience of 15,000 was absolutely superb”.
