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Topic: The sad passing of Wendy Richard

Message 1 / 3
CatFeb 26, 2009
 

 
I have just received news that Just A Minute panellist Wendy Richard
has lost her battle with cancer.

She was also well-known for the roles in Eastenders and Are You Being
Served? among others.


The BBC have posted a lovely tribute to her:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2251337.stm


Strangely enough I am listening to an old episode with her on now,
when I found the news story, Wendy had just buzzed in saying to
Nicholas "can you just remind everyone that I am still here?". A very
surreal moment.

Rest in peace Wendy

 
<<<<   2956   >>>>

Topic: Re: The sad passing of Wendy Richard

Message 2 / 3
Dean BedfordFeb 26, 2009
 

 
My thoughts from my blog...

JAM star Wendy Richard, a regular on the show for five years, has died
at the age of 65.

What a terribly sad day. Ms Richard had been suffering from cancer for
some time, so it's not a huge surprise. But if anyone personified the
phrase "full of life", it was Wendy Richard.

On JAM she appeared 41 times, firstly in 1988 in Kenneth Williams' last
season. She was tapped as his replacement among the regulars when he
died a few months later and even sat in his old seat on the far left of
the stage, beside Clement Freud. She continued to appear regularly until
1994 when a subsequent producer decided to try someone else. But she
appeared on TV editions of the show in 1995 and 1999, and on radio again
in 2002 and 2003.

Her style made her one of the most memorable panellists ever. She loved
an argument and argued about almost everything. Before Wendy joined the
team, most women had been happy to play the role of "straight man" to
the male panellists. Not Wendy. She was a star and she knew it. And in
this she had a point as at that time she was one of Britain's best known
actresses, and certainly a better-known name than Clement Freud or Peter
Jones or Derek Nimmo.

So she played the role of diva to great effect. She talked about her
life, her partners, her pets. She wasn't a natural comedian but she was
usually very funny and was certainly capable of very witty and cutting
remarks.

She added a touch of drama to a game show which has to be unique. She
was all in all, great fun, and I think rather unlucky not to have
appeared many more times. That so many of her shows have been put on the
"Classic" compilations says something - she added a touch of class, a
touch of drama, and was great listening.

Of course she is better known for her acting on Are You Being Served and
East Enders and we can honour that work too. A wonderful comedy actor,
an equally entrancing soap actor.

She will be very much missed, but perhaps she is already playing JAM in
the heavens, telling Derek Nimmo not to talk so much about his travels.
My sincere condolences to her family and friends.

On Friday, February 27, 2009, at 02:35 AM, Cat wrote:

> I have just received news that Just A Minute panellist Wendy Richard
> has lost her battle with cancer.
>
> She was also well-known for the roles in Eastenders and Are You Being
> Served? among others.
>
> The BBC have posted a lovely tribute to her:
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2251337.stm
>
> Strangely enough I am listening to an old episode with her on now,
> when I found the news story, Wendy had just buzzed in saying to
> Nicholas "can you just remind everyone that I am still here?". A very
> surreal moment.
>
> Rest in peace Wendy
>
>

 
<<<<   2959   >>>>

Topic: Re: The sad passing of Wendy Richard

Message 3 / 3
MiriamFeb 26, 2009
 

 
I am saddend to hear about Wendy's death- I have her book and found
it an interesting read. Of course I enjoyed her work on Are you being
served and EastEnders. ( unfortunely the local station that ran
EastEnders cancelled it before pauline fowler's death.)

Wendy was one of my favs on JAM-one of my favorite epiodes was with
her, clement. paul ,and Tony slattery making his debt. I always got a
kick out of when she objected to Clement's "lists". Wendy never
seemed to be afraid of any of the male panelist and didn't mind
speaking her mind either. She will be missed. Miriam


--- In just-a-minute@..., Dean Bedford <dbedford@...>
wrote:

>
> My thoughts from my blog...
>
> JAM star Wendy Richard, a regular on the show for five years, has

died

> at the age of 65.
>
> What a terribly sad day. Ms Richard had been suffering from cancer

for

> some time, so it's not a huge surprise. But if anyone personified

the

> phrase "full of life", it was Wendy Richard.
>
> On JAM she appeared 41 times, firstly in 1988 in Kenneth Williams'

last

> season. She was tapped as his replacement among the regulars when

he

> died a few months later and even sat in his old seat on the far

left of

> the stage, beside Clement Freud. She continued to appear regularly

until

> 1994 when a subsequent producer decided to try someone else. But

she

> appeared on TV editions of the show in 1995 and 1999, and on radio

again

> in 2002 and 2003.
>
> Her style made her one of the most memorable panellists ever. She

loved

> an argument and argued about almost everything. Before Wendy joined

the

> team, most women had been happy to play the role of "straight man"

to

> the male panellists. Not Wendy. She was a star and she knew it. And

in

> this she had a point as at that time she was one of Britain's best

known

> actresses, and certainly a better-known name than Clement Freud or

Peter

> Jones or Derek Nimmo.
>
> So she played the role of diva to great effect. She talked about

her

> life, her partners, her pets. She wasn't a natural comedian but she

was

> usually very funny and was certainly capable of very witty and

cutting

> remarks.
>
> She added a touch of drama to a game show which has to be unique.

She

> was all in all, great fun, and I think rather unlucky not to have
> appeared many more times. That so many of her shows have been put

on the

> "Classic" compilations says something - she added a touch of class,

a

> touch of drama, and was great listening.
>
> Of course she is better known for her acting on Are You Being

Served and

> East Enders and we can honour that work too. A wonderful comedy

actor,

> an equally entrancing soap actor.
>
> She will be very much missed, but perhaps she is already playing

JAM in

> the heavens, telling Derek Nimmo not to talk so much about his

travels.

> My sincere condolences to her family and friends.
>
>
>
>
>
> On Friday, February 27, 2009, at 02:35 AM, Cat wrote:
>
> > I have just received news that Just A Minute panellist Wendy

Richard

> > has lost her battle with cancer.
> >
> > She was also well-known for the roles in Eastenders and Are You

Being

> > Served? among others.
> >
> > The BBC have posted a lovely tribute to her:
> >
> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2251337.stm
> >
> > Strangely enough I am listening to an old episode with her on now,
> > when I found the news story, Wendy had just buzzed in saying to
> > Nicholas "can you just remind everyone that I am still here?". A

very

> > surreal moment.
> >
> > Rest in peace Wendy
> >
> >
>