...and the one who made us all laugh!
about the show’s focus on “potential deathtraps” but though Lynn was passionate, she also laughed along with them. She found the things parents lie awake worrying about at night and put them right. The things she changed were in our homes, needlessly posing a danger to our families.
I will never forget sitting with her looking at photos of badly burnt toddlers’ hands where they had leant against a hot oven door, or watching a home video of a gorgeous young boy before and after he fell off his bike not wearing a helmet.
Last month the world lost Lynn to a stroke at the age of 72.
Every parent owes her thanks for the unknown injuries she prevented.
I owe her everything for showing me what I wanted to do with my life.
Where Lynn’s mantra had been to protect people from danger, her successor took over the Watchdog baton determined that companies shouldn’t treat their customers like “**** ”.
Losing money or face were completely unacceptable to Anne Robinson and she was determined that neither should happen to consumers.
Annie grew up with a strong entrepreneurial mother who sold chickens on a market stall. An incredibly sharp brain and equally sharp elbows ensured her success in Fleet Street.
In her 40s Anne came to television loving the finer things in life. She also liked “nice” people on the show: good hair, attractive clothes or an aesthetically pleasing house!
She was the megaphone for the viewer with spirit but a small voice.
As a rookie reporter on the programme,annie taught me to face up to the big brand names.
The bigger the company, the bigger its fall from grace when they got something wrong.
Watching her interrogate a top CEO or hapless PR person in the studio was like watching a cat playing with its prey.
The creature was a gonner, it was just a matter of time!
She said: “My mission statement is to have all customers treated like royalty. Any chairman of a public company providing less-than-perfect service needs to fasten his or her seatbelt and adopt the brace position.”
Together with her inspirational editor, she came up with entertaining ways to tell a story and make people notice.
A Hotpoint tumble dryer persistently damaged delicate items and the “Hotpoint washing line of shame” was born – shredded clothes sent in by angry customers strung out across the studio.
It was humiliating for the brand and the faulty dryers were replaced.
Consumers today are armed with the powerful weapon of social media. They are more empowered and independent but a look at Twitter shows people still fighting to be heard, still blocked by big names, ripped off by conmen and women.
What would Esther, Lynn or Annie do?
I will never presume to wear their impressive shoes, but I am guided each day to make these women who taught me proud.
WHEN I got a call in 1998 to appear in a BBC comedy Victoria Wood had written called Dinnerladies it was a dream come true. As someone who’d done impressions of her at the piano in my owntv series a decade before, I was surprised, receiving an offer without auditioning.
Victoria had written a fantastic comedy set in a works canteen and I was the hapless Babs. I recall the first script: “We see a large, odd-looking woman in a big coat and hat.” My slightly bonkers character was best friend of Petula (Julie Walters) the delusional and manipulative mother of Victoria’s Bren. I was thrilled to have such an oddball character and chuffed to say immortal lines like: “Is it a sit-down toilet?that’s the only sort I go on.”
There really was no one quite likevictoriawood. Her insistence of EVERY line being replicated exactly as written was a rule we all adhered to but she had the foresight to let people try out different voices and walks.
When I bowled on with a bandy-legged walk in my big checked coat, she laughed so much, I felt flattered that I had achieved what this comedy genius wanted.
No kinder friend could you have. She bought little presents for all the cast which she left in our dressing rooms, along with yellow rubber washing-up gloves.
Victoria dropped the hat, but the coat stayed.to say my pastel, checked coat was frumpy is putting it mildly. In 2000 a viewer noticed it was the coat Lou Beale wore in Eastenders! Anna Wing had played Lou until she was killed off in 1988.The penny-pinching BBC were recycling even a decade later!
Last week would’ve beenvictoria’s 67th birthday (I’m sure she would have written a song about lockdown). I can’t believe she’s no longer around to party.to quote Victoria: “I once went to one of those parties where everyone throws their car keys into the middle of the room. I don’t know who got my moped, but I drove that Peugeot for years.” Victoria, we will always miss you.
● Kate is performing asvictoriawood on No Audience with Jon Richardson And Friends tomorrow, 8pm, live streaming on Twitter and Facebook @Noaudiencejonr