Lynda Bellingham, one of the most appreciated broadcasters of British Television and dearly beloved actress of world-wide public, died on October 19 at the age of 66 after a tiresome battle with cancer.The actress refused to send her farewell to the world in a conformist way. The Loose Women star had been planning for her funeral in advance while fighting cancer. Lynda Bellingham’s burial was held at Saint Bartholomew’s Church in Somerset, in accordance with one of her last wishes. Although bereaved by Lynda’s death, her friends and family struggled to transform a sad event into a manifest of life celebration. Christopher Biggins, television personality and close friend of Lynda Bellingham was spotted wearing a pink suit, as he believed his blazing outfit would ‘’put a smile on her face’’. Some recited Shakespearian sonnets, others sang religious chants… And all the ones present shared only loving and merry thoughts in the memory of Lynda Bellingham.
The All Creatures Great and Small actress was married three times during her lifetime and confessed not regretting any of them, as she was very thankful for her two sons. Michel Pattemore, Lynda Bellingham’s third husband was the one to carry her coffin, together with Michael and Robert, her sons. During her lifetime, Lynda Bellingham stated that her husband, Michael, had made her very happy. What is more, Lynda’s agent made public after her death that she had spent her last moments in the arms of her husband. At the memorial service, Michael shared an intimate and precious memory with creator and writer of Second Thoughts, Jan Ethrington: ‘It is 10 years to this very day – November 3rd 2004 – that Lynda and I first met. As I stood in the Spanish sunshine, falling in love with this beautiful woman, never, in my worst nightmares, did I imagine that I would be speaking at her funeral today’’.
With his voice trembling and his heart shivering with sadness, Michael Pattemore laid his last homage to Lynda Bellingham and recited to the mourning crowd a letter which she herself had written to him, after finding out that she was dying: ‘’We have had it and you will keep alive, though I am dead; It’s only a word – so say it, spit it out; Toss it aside; Think only of the good things and now, this is it; I love you, Michael Pattemore; There’s nothing more I can say’’.