ONE of the nation’s top writers, who used Bradford as the backdrop for a host of her TV shows, has died.
Kay Mellor, best known for writing series including Fat Friends, The Syndicate and Band of Gold, has died at the age of 71.
Bradford provided plenty of inspiration for Mellor over the years.
Band of Gold, her drama about a group of sex workers, was filmed in and around Lumb Lane. The ITV show was broadcast between 1995 and 1997.
The Syndicate was partly filmed in Apperley Bridge and Burley-in-Wharfedale.
In The Syndicate 2, broadcast last year, low-paid workers from fictional Bradford hospital St Anthony’s won a share of a £72m Euromillions jackpot. Filming locations included Bradford’s Great Victoria Hotel, City Park, Little Germany and Manningham. The series was also filmed in Monaco.
Elsewhere, A Passionate Woman (2010), inspired by Kay’s mother’s real-life affair, filmed in Ilkley and starring Alun Armstrong and Sue Johnston.
Girlfriends, starring Miranda Richardson, Zoe Wanamaker and Phylis Logan, was filmed at locations including Bradford College, in 2018.
A Bradford-born actor starred in another of Kay’s productions which was also filmed in the district.
Starring Heather Peace, The Chase, from 2006, was set in a family-run vets practice and filmed on Otley Chevin.
Bafta-winning screenwriter Kay also made a number of appearances herself in Bradford. These included presenting Jenny Agutter with a Lifetime Achievement award at Bradford Film Festival in 2006.
In 2013, Leeds-born Kay spoke of her love of filming in Bradford and of her love of the National Science and Media Museum in the city.
She said: “It’s just amazing. I’ve been there lots of times, for many reasons. It’s in the heart of the city and is one of those places that puts Bradford on the map.”
Just dreadful news & difficult to take in.
— TracyBrabin (@TracyBrabin) May 17, 2022
Sending all our love from everyone in #westyorkshire to Kay’s family, friends & colleagues.
Our voice of the North, she put working class characters at the centre of her brilliant compassionate, moving & funny stories. Such a loss.
Tributes have been paid to Kay including West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin who tweeted: “Just dreadful news and difficult to take in.
“Sending all our love from everyone in #westyorkshire to Kay’s family, friends and colleagues.
“Our voice of the North, she put working class characters at the centre of her brilliant compassionate, moving and funny stories. Such a loss.”
A spokesperson for her TV production company, Rollem Productions confirmed Kay’s death. It said: “It is with profound sadness that we announce the untimely and sudden passing of our beloved friend, mentor and colleague Kay Mellor on Sunday 15th May 2022.
Shocked and saddened to hear the news of brilliant #KayMellor untimely passing. She was an incredible woman, with a remarkable gift which I was lucky enough to work with. What a loss 😔- my heart goes out to her family 💛✨💛
— Rachel Leskovac (@rachelleskovac1) May 17, 2022
RIP Kay Mellor: Actress, writer and Fat Friends creator dies aged 71. Champion of regional and working class stories. Such a sad loss @BBCNorthPR @BBCLookNorth https://t.co/eNxrtxuTh2
— BradfordCity of Film (@bfdcityoffilm) May 17, 2022
“We have lost a phenomenal talent and a true luminary.”
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