by Jasper Rees
13 Letter to Rosalind Wood, July 1966
14 Ibid.
15 Ibid.
16 Interview with the author, 6 June 2001
17 Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 23 December 2007
18 ‘Seriously funny’, interview with Allison Pearson, Daily Telegraph, 7 November 1998
19 ‘I feel at the BBC I’m not trusted, not valued, not needed’, interview with Decca Aitkenhead, Guardian, 27 September 2010
20 Russell Harty’s Musical Encounters, BBC Radio 4, 25 May 1985
21 Dinnerladies tapes, 3 July 1998
22 Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 8 February 1987
23 Bury Grammar School report, December 1966
24 ‘Porky’s revenge’, interview with David Hepworth, Q magazine, October 1987
25 Piano report, July 1967
26 Russell Harty’s Musical Encounters, BBC Radio 4, 25 May 1985
27 ‘Victoria’s plums’, interview with James Rampton, Radio Times, 18 October 2001
28 ‘Cygnus, Bury Grammar School (Girls) magazine, 1967
29 ‘A magic combination’, interview with Avril Deane, Newcastle Journal, 10 February 1982
30 Speech at the memorial concert for James Watson, 18 June 2011
31 Russell Harty’s Musical Encounters, BBC Radio 4, 25 May 1985
32 Parkinson, BBC One, 24 March 2000
33 ‘If I’d been thin as a teenager and gone out with boys I wouldn’t have had anything to write about’, interview with Ray Connolly, The Times, 28 October 1989
Chapter 4: Workshop
1 In Conversation with …, BBC Radio 4, 14 March 2002
2 Parkinson, BBC One, 24 March 2000
3 More Dawn French’s Girls Who Do: Comedy, BBC Four, 11 October 2006
4 ‘Weird’, interview with Paul Morley, Blitz, October 1987
5 The English Programme, Thames TV, 4 March 1981
6 Interview with Roger Wilmut, 9 July 1987
7 Cygnus, Bury Grammar School (Girls) Magazine, 1970–71
8 ‘Porky’s revenge’, interview with David Hepworth, Q magazine, October 1987
9 Interview with Roger Wilmut, 9 July 1987
10 School notebook, 1970
11 Fax to Richenda Carey, 11 January 2001
12 More Dawn French’s Girls Who Do: Comedy, BBC Four, 11 October 2006
13 ‘Weird’, interview with Paul Morley, Blitz, October 1987
14 Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 8 February 1987
15 More Dawn French’s Girls Who Do: Comedy, BBC Four, 11 October 2006
16 Dinnerladies tapes, 25 June 1998
17 Interview with Roger Wilmut, 9 July 1987
18 Dinnerladies tapes, 25 June 1998
19 Ibid.
20 Dinnerladies tapes, 2 July 1998
21 Stanley Wood diary, 7 September 1971, quoted in Victoria Wood: Comedy Genius – Her Life and Work by Chris Foote Wood, 2016
Chapter 5: The Green Room
1 Scene – Personal View: Victoria Wood, BBC Two, 9 May 1985
2 Parkinson, BBC One, 24 March 2000
3 Letter to Robert Howie, 19 April 1978
4 Clive James – Postcard from London, BBC One, 31 July 1991
5 Saturday Night Clive, BBC Two, 2 December 1989
6 Stanley Wood letter to Rosalind Wood, 23 October 1972
7 The Late Clive James, ITV, 22 June 1985
8 Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 8 February 1987
9 Ibid.
10 Letter to Rosalind, 14 February 1973
11 Letter to Rosalind Wood, June 1973
12 Letter from Leslie Lowe, 10 July 1973
13 Letter to Rosalind Wood, July 1973
14 Letter to Robert Howie, 15 July 1973
15 Letter to Bill Lloyd, 17 August 1973
16 ‘My first job’, interview with Louise Roddon, Company, October 1987
17 ‘Porky’s revenge’, interview with David Hepworth, Q magazine, October 1987
18 Parkinson, BBC One, 24 March 2000
19 Letter to Rosalind Wood, September 1973
20 Letter from Jane Wymark, 6 September 1973
21 Letter to Rosalind Wood, September 1973
22 Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 8 February 1987
23 Letter to Bill Lloyd, 17 August 1973
24 Letter to Rosalind Wood, September 1973
25 Letter to Rosalind Wood, September 1973
26 Email to Jane Wymark, 27 September 2015
27 Letter to Robert Howie, 15 July 1973
28 Ibid.
29 Letter to Rosalind Wood, September 193
30 Letter to Bill Lloyd, 1973
31 Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 8 February 1987
32 Letter to Bill Lloyd, October 1973
33 Letter to Bill Lloyd, 1973
34 Ibid
35 Letter to Jane Wymark, 21 July 1983
36 Sounds Local, BBC Radio Blackburn, 1 January 1978
37 Interview with Roger Wilmut, 9 July 1987
38 Letter to Bill Lloyd, 1973
39 Ibid.
40 Letter to Rosalind Wood, September 1973
41 Letter to Rosalind Wood, April 1974
42 Notes for a speech to launch Lucky Bag: The Victoria Wood Song Book, 1984
43 Letter to Rosalind Wood, May 1974
44 Interview with Roger Wilmut, 9 July 1987
45 Letter to Rosalind Wood, 1974
46 Letter to Rosalind Wood, May 1974
47 Letter to Rosalind Wood, June 1974
48 Bob Phillips, Coventry Evening Telegraph, 15 May 1974
49 Letter to Lesley Fitton, 22 April 1974
50 Ibid.
51 ‘Things I Don’t Like About Fame by Victoria Wood age 32’, manuscript
52 Parkinson, BBC One, 24 March 2000
53 Interview with the author, 19 August 2009
54 Letter to Rosalind Wood, 1974
55 Letter from Lesley Fitton, 20 April 1974
56 Letter from Alison Sabourin, 3 May 1974
57 Letter from Anne Sweeney, 3 May 1974
58 Letter to Rosalind Wood, June 1974
Chapter 6: New Face
1 Letter to Rosalind Wood, September 1974
2 Letter to Rosalind Wood, June 1974
3 Letter to Rosalind Wood, September 1974
4 Interview with the author, 19 August 2009
5 Ibid.
6 Letter to Rosalind Wood, October 1974
7 ‘The “New Face” of stardom for Victoria’, Evening Mail, October 1974
8 Preface to Chunky, Methuen, 1996
9 Letter to Rosalind Watson, October 1974
10 Interview with Roger Wilmut, 9 July 1987
11 Dinnerladies tapes, 26 June 1998
12 Interview with Roger Wilmut, 9 July 1987
13 Interview with the author, 19 August 2009
14 ‘Introducing Victoria Wood’, interview with Eileen Totten, Warwickshire & Worcestershire Life, May 1975
15 ‘Glorious good Wood’, interview with Louise Gannon, Daily Express, 25 April 1992
16 John Dunn, BBC Radio 2, 8 June 1982
17 John Bird internal memo, BBC Written Archives Centre RCONT21 – Wood, Victoria, 23 January 1975
18 Letter to Roger McGough, March 1975
19 Ibid.
20 Letter to Robert Howie, 28 January 1975
21 Letter to Roger McGough, 1975
22 Letter from Bernard Miles to Beetles and Buckman, 11 April 1975
23 Scrapbook, 1973-1976
24 Clive James – Postcard from London, BBC One, 31 July 1991
25 Letter to Roger McGough, 1975
26 Ibid.
27 ‘Original, gentle, rather rude’, interview with Andrew Crofts, She, 1979
28 Letter to Roger McGough, 1975
29 Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 8 February 1987
30 Interview with the author, 19 August 2009
31 Interview with Roger Wilmut, 9 July 1987
32 ‘The determined new face of Victoria Wood’, interview wi
th Ken Roche, TV Times, 23 August 1975
33 Letter to Lesley Fitton, September 1975
34 Letter to Roger McGough, September 1975
35 Letter to Lesley Fitton, September 1975
36 Letter to Andy Roberts, 1975
37 Ibid.
38 Letter to Roger McGough, c. October 1975
39 ‘Victoria would’, interview with Hilary Bonner, Sunday Mirror Magazine, 4 September 1994
40 Ibid.
41 B.A. Young, Financial Times, 12 December 1975
42 Interview with Roger Wilmut, 9 July 1987
43 Letter to Andy Roberts, 1976
44 Letter to Roger McGough, 1976
45 ‘The rhyme and reason of what makes girls break into verse’, interview with Eithne Power, Woman’s Realm, 1 January 1977
46 Sunday Times, 8 February 1976
47 Letter to Roger McGough, 1976
48 Interview with BBC Radio Blackburn, 1 January 1978
49 Interview with John Dunn, BBC Radio 2, 8 June 1982
50 Interview with Wendy Howard, BBC Radio Blackburn, 1 January 1978
51 ‘I love fashion, but it doesn’t love me’, Woman’s Own, December 1979
52 Letter to Rosalind Wood, 1976
53 Letter to Roger McGough, March 1976
54 Ibid.
55 Celebration, Granada TV, 26 March 1980
56 Ibid.
57 ‘Victoria’s show is on the road at last’, interview with Arthur Steele, Evening Mail, 10 May 1976
58 Sheridan Morley, Radio Times, 6 May 1976
59 Sunday Times, 9 May 1976
60 Interview with Lucy Kenwright, BBC Additional Programmes Unit, 2009
Chapter 7: Soprendo
1 Best of British, BBC One, 1 November 1998
2 Letter to Robert Howie, 15 July 1976
3 Letter to Roger McGough, 1976
4 Best of British, BBC One, 1 November 1998
5 Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 1987
6 ‘Song spots not so easy’, The Journal, 31 March 1977
7 Letter to Robert Howie, August 1976
8 Ibid.
9 Letter to BBC Copyright Department, BBC Written Archives Centre, September 1976
10 Interview with the author, 19 August 2009
11 Letter to Rosalind Wood, April 1977
12 Interview with Roger Wilmut, 9 July 1987
13 Letter to Rosalind Wood, April 1977
14 Letter to Robert Howie, October 1976
15 Letter to Rosalind Wood, April 1977
16 Letter to Rosalind Wood, April 1977
17 Letter to Robert Howie, 8 November 1976
18 Helen Wood letter to Rosalind Wood, 6 November 1976
19 Stanley Wood letter to Rosalind Wood, 7 December 1976
20 Letter to Robert Howie, 8 November 1976
21 Ibid.
22 Sunday Times Magazine, 23 March 1980
23 The Stage, 23 September 1976
24 Letter to Robert Howie, 8 November 1976
25 Stanley Wood letter to Rosalind Wood, 15 November 1976
26 Stanley Wood letter to Rosalind Wood, 7 December 1976
27 Ibid.
28 Helen Wood letter to Rosalind Wood, 15 December 1976
29 Letter to Robert Howie, 8 November 1976
30 Letter to Robert Howie, 15 January 1977
31 Letter to Robert Howie, February 1977
32 Interview with Lucy Kenwright, BBC Additional Programmes Unit, 2009
33 Letter to Robert Howie, 15 January 1977
34 Robert Low, Birmingham Post, 24 March 1977
35 Ibid.
36 Brian Glover, Birmingham Evening Mail, 24 March 1977
37 Helen Wood letter to Rosalind Wood, 23 March 1977
38 ‘Song spots not so easy’, The Journal, 31 March 1977
39 Letter to Rosalind Wood, 1977
40 Letter to Robert Howie, 5 May 1977
41 Sunday Times, 8 May 1977
42 Card to Robert Howie, May 1977
43 Steve Grant, Time Out, 13 May 1977
44 Interview with Roger Wilmut, 9 July 1987
45 ‘A talent to amuse’, interview with Deborah Moggach, Over 21, February 1979
46 Letter to Robert Howie, 5 July 1977
47 Letter to Rosalind Wood, May 1977
48 Letter to Roger McGough, 1977
49 Ibid.
50 Ibid.
51 Ibid.
52 Celebration, Granada TV, 26 March 1980
53 Interview with BBC Radio Blackburn, 1 January 1978
54 ‘Victoria Wood rising on a gale of laughter’, interview with Jeremy Pascall, Company, January 1981
55 Letter to Robert Howie, 12 November 1977
56 Stanley Wood letter to Rosalind Wood, 11 April 1978
57 Best of British, BBC One, 1 November 1998
58 Interview with BBC Radio Blackburn, 1 January 1978
59 Letter to Robert Howie, 19 April 1978
60 Letter to Chrissie Poulter, February 1978
61 Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 8 February 1987
62 Letter to Rosalind Wood, May 1977
63 ‘Victoria Wood rising on a gale of laughter’, interview with Jeremy Pascall, Company, January 1981
64 ‘Funny girl’, interview with David Robson, Sunday Times Magazine, 23 March 1980
65 Interview with BBC Radio Blackburn, 1 January 1978
66 Ibid.
67 Dinnerladies tapes, 3 July 1998
68 Interview with BBC Radio Blackburn, 1 January 1978
69 Letter to Robert Howie, 19 April 1978
70 Ibid.
Chapter 8: Talents
1 Interview with Roger Wilmut, 9 July 1987
2 Dinnerladies tapes, 27 June 1998
3 Notes for a speech to launch Lucky Bag: The Victoria Wood Song Book, 1984
4 Ibid.
5 Dinnerladies tapes, 27 June 1998
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid.
9 Interview with the author, 19 August 2009
10 ‘How We Met’, Independent on Sunday, 27 December 1992
11 Dinnerladies tapes, 3 July 1998
12 ‘Tales from the Bush’, New Statesman, 12 November 1997
13 John Barber, Daily Telegraph, 18 July 1978
14 Francis King, Sunday Telegraph, 23 July 1978
15 Michael Coveney, Financial Times, 22 July 1978
16 Irving Wardle, The Times, 18 July 1978
17 Steve Grant, Plays and Players, September 1978
18 Round Midnight, BBC Radio 2, 6 February 1979
19 Letter to Robert Howie, September 1978
20 ‘Original, gentle, rather rude’, interview with Andrew Crofts, She, 1979
21 Interview with the author, 19 August 2009
22 Celebration, Granada TV, 26 March 1980
23 Interview with the author, 19 August 2009
24 Celebration, Granada TV, 26 March 1980
25 Interview with the author, 19 August 2009
26 ‘Talent gets top billing’, interview with Douglas Orgill, Daily Express, February 1979
27 Round Midnight, BBC Radio 2, 6 February 1979
28 Paul Allen, Guardian, 10 November 1978
29 Stanley Wood letter to Rosalind Wood, 22 September 1978
30 Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 8 February 1987
31 Letter to James Eckersley, 13 November 1985
32 Celebration, Granada TV, 26 March 1980
33 ‘Victoria Wood, by the woman across the road’, programme to Lucky Bag at the King’s Head, 1983
34 Jim Hiley, Kaleidoscope, BBC Radio 4, 8 February 1979
35 Nicholas de Jongh, Guardian, 10 February 1979
36 Robert Cushman, Observer, 11 February 1979
37 ‘The girl who made a fat friend the most unlikely heroine’, interview with Michael Briscoe, Daily Mail, 7 August 1979
38 ‘How We Met’, Independent on Sunday, 27 December 1992
39 Ibid.
40 Letter to Robert Howi
e, 12 April 1979
41 Stanley Wood letter to Rosalind Wood, 13 April 1979
42 Letter to Lesley Fitton, 21 August 1979
43 ‘The girl who made a fat friend the most unlikely heroine’, interview with Michael Briscoe, Daily Mail, 7 August 1979
44 Letter to Robert Howie, 3 September 1979
45 Ibid.
46 Introduction to Victoria Wood Plays: 1, Methuen, 1998
47 ‘Queen Vic’, interview with Vicki Woods, Evening Standard, 12 September 1996
48 Nancy Banks-Smith, Guardian, 6 August 1979
49 Sheridan Morley, Evening Standard, 6 August 1979
50 Peter Buckman, Listener, 16 August 1979
51 ‘Funny girl’, interview with David Robson, Sunday Times Magazine, 23 March 1980
52 Letter to Chrissie Poulter, 21 August 1979
53 Letter to Robert Howie, 29 August 1979
54 Ibid.
55 Ibid.
56 Ibid.
57 ‘A Certain Style’, BBC Radio 4, extract in Listener, 20 December 1979
58 Letter to Robert Howie, 29 August 1979
59 Letter to Robert Howie, 19 November 1979
60 ‘The girl who made a fat friend the most unlikely heroine’, interview with Michael Briscoe, Daily Mail, 7 August 1979
61 Afternoon Plus, Thames TV, 21 October 1980
62 Benedict Nightingale, New Statesman, 28 July 1978
63 ‘Talent gets top billing’, interview with Douglas Orgill, Daily Express, February 1979
64 Patrick O’Neill, Daily Mail, 4 August 1979
65 ‘Funny girl’, interview with David Robson, Sunday Times Magazine, 23 March 1980
66 ‘Victoria plumps for quiet fame’, interview with Elizabeth Griffin, Daily Post, 11 August 1979
67 ‘The girl who made a fat friend the most unlikely heroine’, interview with Michael Briscoe, Daily Mail, 7 August 1979
68 Afternoon Plus, Thames TV, 21 October 1980
69 Letter to Rosalind Wood, 1979
70 ‘Wood makes a splash’, interview with Richard North, Observer, 30 March 1980
71 Memorandum from Peter Eckersley, 29 February 1980
72 Letter to Chrissie Poulter, 29 May 1980
73 ‘Great Soprendo’s greatest trick’, Daily Mail, 31 May 1980
74 ‘Victoria, Julie and happy beginnings at the swimming baths’, TV Times, 28 May 1980
75 Letter to Robert Howie, 3 September 1979
76 Letter to Robert Howie, March 1980
77 Letter to Chrissie Poulter, 29 May 1980
78 Arena, BBC Two, 26 March 1980
79 Foreword to Good Fun & Talent, Methuen, 1988
80 James Fenton, Sunday Times, 6 April 1980