Lynda Bellingham , OBE ( born Meredith Lee Hughes ; 31 May 194819 October 2014 ) was a Canadian-born English actress , broadcaster and author , who starred in the long-running series of `` Oxo Family '' British TV adverts between 1983 and 1999 , the drama series `` All Creatures Great and Small '' , the science-fiction series `` Doctor Who '' and in the comedy series `` Second Thoughts '' and `` Faith in the Future '' .
Lynda Bellingham , OBE ( born Meredith Lee Hughes ; 31 May 1948 -- 19 October 2014 ) was a Canadian-born English actress , broadcaster and author . She played the role of the mother in the long-running series of `` Oxo Family '' British TV adverts between 1983 and 1999 .