Kay Mellor facts for kids

Kay Mellor OBE (born Kay Daniel; 11 May 1951 – 15 May 2022) was a talented English actress, writer, and director. She was well-known for creating popular TV shows. Some of her most famous works include the ITV drama Fat Friends (2000–05) and the children's drama Children's Ward (1989–2000) for CITV.

Early Life and Education

Kay Daniel was born in Leeds, England, on 11 May 1951. Her mother, Dinah, raised Kay and her siblings.

In 1967, Kay married Anthony Mellor. They had two daughters: Yvonne Francas (born 1968), who became a TV producer, and Gaynor Faye (born 1971), who became an actress.

When Kay was expecting her first child, her mother encouraged her to continue her education later. Kay kept this promise. When her children were older, she went back to school. She passed her O-levels and A-levels. In 1983, she graduated from Bretton Hall College with a degree in Arts.

Kay Mellor's Amazing Career

Kay Mellor had a very successful career in television, film, and theatre. She was known for telling stories that connected with people.

Starting as a Writer

In the 1980s, Kay began her writing career at Granada Television. She wrote for the popular soap opera Coronation Street. She also wrote many episodes for another soap, Brookside, on Channel 4.

Creating Children's TV Shows

Kay Mellor helped create the long-running children's drama Children's Ward in 1988. She worked on this show with her colleague Paul Abbott. Children's Ward was very successful and won the Best Children's Drama award at the 1997 BAFTA Awards. She also created the family show Just Us, writing and starring in three series from 1990 to 1994.

Popular Adult Dramas

Kay Mellor wrote many well-loved drama series for adults. These include:

• Band of Gold (1995)
• Playing the Field (1998) for BBC One
• Fat Friends (2000)
• Between the Sheets (2003)
• Strictly Confidential (2006) for ITV

She wanted the actors in Fat Friends to be genuinely larger people. She found actors like Ruth Jones and James Corden who she felt were perfect for the roles.

Acting Roles

Besides writing, Kay Mellor also acted in TV shows and films. She appeared in her own version of Jane Eyre (1997). She also acted in other series like Stan the Man (2002) and A Good Thief (2002). On stage, she performed in Three Girls in Blue. She also wrote and starred in a one-woman show called Queen at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

Later TV Series

Kay Mellor continued to create new dramas. In 2006, her show The Chase aired on BBC One. She also wrote and directed A Passionate Woman (2010), a two-part drama based on her stage play. This play was inspired by her parents' relationship.

In 2012, she wrote another BBC drama called The Syndicate. This show was about people who win the lottery and ran for four seasons until 2021. It was even remade in the United States. Other popular series she created include:

• In the Club (2014-2016)
• Love, Lies and Records (2017)
• Girlfriends (2018)

Awards and Recognition

Kay Mellor received many awards for her outstanding work.

• In 1997, she won the BAFTA Dennis Potter Award for her excellent writing for television.
• She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2009. This is a special honour from the Queen.
• In 2015, she received the Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award for her amazing contribution to writing.
• She was made a Fellow of the Royal Television Society in 2016.
• In 2020, she received Broadcast's Special Recognition Award.

Kay Mellor was also featured on the TV show This Is Your Life in 2000. She also appeared on the BBC radio show Desert Island Discs in 2017.

Work in Film and Theatre

Outside of television, Kay Mellor wrote screenplays for movies. These include Girls' Night (1998), which was shown at the Sundance Film Festival. She also wrote and directed the film Fanny and Elvis, which won an award at the Dinard British Film Festival. Her drama Some Kind of Life was nominated for a BAFTA award in 1997.

In 2017, Kay Mellor turned her TV show Fat Friends into a stage musical. Fat Friends The Musical toured around the UK. She also adapted Band of Gold for the stage. This play started in Leeds in 2019 and toured the UK.

Death

Kay Mellor passed away on 15 May 2022, at the age of 71.

See also

In Spanish: Kay Mellor para niños