Victoria Wood

**Victoria Wood** <small>CBE</small> (19 May 1953, Prestwich, Lancashire – 20 April 2016, Highgate, North London) was an English comedienne, actress, singer, writer and television presenter.

## Career

Victoria Wood went to Bury Grammar Girls' School.  She wrote and starred in sketches, plays, films and sitcoms.  She was a stand-up comedian.  She sang and accompanied herself on the piano.

Her humour was usually about everyday life, known as observational comedy. It was often satirical. It referred to popular British media and brand names of British products.

She started her career in 1974 by winning the ATV talent show _New Faces_. It was not until the 1980s that she began to be known as a comedy star, with the award-winning television series _Victoria Wood As Seen On TV_ and became one of Britain's most popular stand-up comedians.

In 1998, she wrote and starred in the sitcom _dinnerladies_ (deliberately spelt with a small-case "d") which ran for 16 episodes over two seasons.

Wood often worked with Anne Reid, Maxine Peake, Julie Walters, Duncan Preston and Celia Imrie.

She won many awards, including the BAFTA award. She was made a CBE in 2008.

## Personal life

Wood married magician Geoffrey Durham in March 1980. They separated in October 2002 and divorced in 2003. They had a daughter, Grace (born 1988) who is a singer and son Henry (born 1992).

Wood's brother is the politician Chris Foote Wood.

## Death

Wood was diagnosed with terminal cancer in late 2015, but kept her illness private. She died on 20 April 2016 at her Highgate home, aged 62.

## BAFTA nominations

- Wood had four wins from fourteen nominations ( she also had a special Bafta that she received at a Bafta tribute evening in 2005, taking her total to five )
|Year|Award|Nominated work|Result|||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1986|Best Light Entertainment Performance|align="center"|Victoria Wood As Seen On TV|**Won**||
|1987|Best Light Entertainment Performance|align="center"|Victoria Wood As Seen On TV|Nominated||
|1988|Best Light Entertainment Performance|align="center"|Victoria Wood As Seen On TV|Nominated||
|1989|Best Light Entertainment Performance|align="center"|An Audience With Victoria Wood|**Won**||
|1990|Best Light Entertainment Performance|align="center"|Victoria Wood|Nominated||
|rowspan=3|1995|Best Actress|align="center"|Pat and Margaret|Nominated|
|Best Single Drama|align="center"|Pat and Margaret|Nominated|||
|Best Light Entertainment Performance|align="center"|Victoria Wood: Live in Your Own Home|Nominated|||
|1999|Best Comedy Programme or Series|align="center"|Dinnerladies|Nominated||
|2000|Best Situation Comedy|align="center"|Dinnerladies|Nominated||
|2001|Best Comedy Programme or Series|align="center"|Victoria Wood with All The Trimmings|Nominated||
|rowspan=2|2007|Best Actress|align="center"|Housewife 49|**Won**|
|Best Single Drama|align="center"|Housewife 49|**Won**|||
|2011|Best Single Drama|align="center"|Eric and Ernie|Nominated||
- _Victoria Wood As Seen On TV_ won the BAFTA for "Best Entertainment Programme" in 1986, 1987 and 1988, these awards went to the producer, Geoff Posner.
- _An Audience With Victoria Wood_ won the BAFTA for "Best Entertainment Programme" in 1989, this award went to David G. Hillier.

## Infobox (comedian awards)

- **child**: yes
- **baftaawards**: **BAFTA Television Award, Best Television Actress**
2007 _Housewife, 49_
**BAFTA Television Award, Best Single Drama**
2007 _Housewife, 49_
**BAFTA Television Award, Best Light Entertainment Performance**
1989 _An Audience With Victoria Wood_
**BAFTA Television Award, Best Light Entertainment Performance**
1986 _Victoria Wood As Seen On TV_
- **britishcomedyawards**: **British Comedy Awards, Best Live Stand Up**
1991
2001
**British Comedy Awards, Best Female Comedy Performer**
1995
**British Comedy Awards, Writer of the Year**
2000 _dinnerladies_
**British Comedy Awards, Lifetime Achievement Award**
2005


## Infobox (comedian)

- **name**: Victoria Wood
- **image**: Victoria Wood.jpg
- **birth place**: Prestwich, Lancashire,
England
- **death place**: Highgate, London, England
- **nationality**: British
- **medium**: Actress, Comedian, comedienne,
singer-songwriter, screenwriter, director, presenter
- **genre**: Stand-up, Observational humour
- **active**: 1974–2015
- **spouse**: (Legal separation, separated)
- **children**: Grace Durham, Henry Durham