Ex-EastEnder 'dying of cancer'

Former EastEnders star Wendy Richard is dying of cancer, she has revealed.

The 65-year-old, who played Pauline Fowler in the BBC One soap, said she would marry her long-term partner before starting chemotherapy.

Richard has fought off breast cancer twice but in January was diagnosed with an aggressive form of the disease which has spread to a kidney and her bones.

She told the Sunday Express that she has since planned her funeral and written her will.

Richard said she discovered the disease had returned after her usual annual check-up, which revealed cancerous cells in her left armpit.

The actress, who rose to fame playing Miss Brahms in BBC sitcom Are You Being Served?, said the drugs she was given had failed to help.

She told the newspaper: "If anything, they did more damage than good so my health has really deteriorated.

"Now I have a cancerous growth on my right kidney and the cancer has spread to my bones.

"It's more aggressive this time, unfortunately, and has spread to the top of my spine and left ribs."

She said she had spent the last five years in pain after contracting lymphoedema the second time she had breast cancer, but that it had worsened this year.

"Some nights I've just wanted to scream the place down," she said.

"It didn't matter whether you lay down, stood up, sat down - the pain was just there all the time."

Richard had battled back from breast cancer to return to Albert Square months after her diagnosis.

She quit the soap in 2006 after almost 22 years, having been one of the original and best-loved cast members.

Richard was awarded the MBE for services to television in 2000.

She will marry her partner, John Burns, before starting chemotherapy treatment on 13 October.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7653179.stm

Really sad news. :(

65 ........... far too young :(

How sad, I hope the chemotherapy works this time

Thats terrible, such a nice lady.

I hope all the pc numptys who gave her loads of grief for her ''oriental'' comment and made her out to be some kind of racist on bb feel proud :(

I too hope the chemotherapy works. I hate Cancer unfortunately have seen one too many family members & friends die from this awful disease.

Sad news indeed.

I hope all the pc numptys who gave her loads of grief for her ''oriental'' comment and made her out to be some kind of racist on bb feel proud :(

I hope she makes a full recovery, but IMO people who make "controversial" statements about sensitive groups, deserve all the "grief" they get to be honest, they know some over-sensitive halfwit will bitch to the high heavens about it, but they do it anyway, it's like trolling on here, people know it's wrong and they'll get reported for it (usually by me) but they do it anyway! :loopy:

I hope she makes a full recovery, but IMO people who make "controversial" statements about sensitive groups, deserve all the "grief" they get to be honest, they know some over-sensitive halfwit will bitch to the high heavens about it, but they do it anyway, it's like trolling on here, people know it's wrong and they'll get reported for it (usually by me) but they do it anyway! :loopy:

What was the comment? I missed it.

It doesn't sound like she is likely to go into remission again, once it's spread to internal organs and the bones, then it's a case of palliative treatments only.:(

Another person afflicted by this dreadful disease.

I hope all the pc numptys who gave her loads of grief for her ''oriental'' comment and made her out to be some kind of racist on bb feel proud :(
What's her comments got to do with her illness? There is alot of people I disagree with but I wouldn't want to see them died.

Its no more unfortunate than any of the other thousands of people dying of cancer at the moment

I hope she makes a full recovery, but IMO people who make "controversial" statements about sensitive groups, deserve all the "grief" they get to be honest, they know some over-sensitive halfwit will bitch to the high heavens about it, but they do it anyway, it's like trolling on here, people know it's wrong and they'll get reported for it (usually by me) but they do it anyway! :loopy:

Do they ? So its civilised and tollerant to bully an old lady because she mad a flippant.. not racist.. flippant remark, lets not forget she is from a different era to us. the remark was a bit silly maybe but to BULLY an old lady for a silly comment is far far far worse than anything she said. FACT

What's her comments got to do with her illness? There is alot of people I disagree with but I wouldn't want to see them died.

I was just pointing out that i hope the ''moral high horse brigade'' who bullied this old lady who has cancer, feel proud of their attempted witch hunt.

Btw rivelin did you see my reply in the other thread where you thought i was saying you were a nutter ? :)

I too hope the chemotherapy works. I hate Cancer unfortunately have seen one too many family members & friends die from this awful disease.

Sad news indeed.

seconded mate
Its a cruel and awfull disease, one of the main things that winds me up in this world is the amount of time and effort wasted on pointless Bs, that could be spent on fighting this horrible disease, and how they can price people out of the reach of the drugs to help this is nothing more than a sick joke.

I was just pointing out that i hope the ''moral high horse brigade'' who bullied this old lady who has cancer, feel proud of their attempted witch hunt.

Btw rivelin did you see my reply in the other thread where you thought i was saying you were a nutter ? :)
Yes I did thanks, sorry for the mistake:)

Do they ? So its civilised and tollerant to bully an old lady because she mad a flippant.. not racist.. flippant remark, lets not forget she is from a different era to us. the remark was a bit silly maybe but to BULLY an old lady for a silly comment is far far far worse than anything she said. FACT

No, it's not a FACT - it's just your opinion.

I can't say I know anything about the incident, but I hardly think it's accurate to describe her as an "old lady", as if she was some doddery old codger who didn't know any better.

Why should people who found her comment offensive now be sorry because she's dying of cancer? Are their comments somehow supposed to have precipitated the disease?

If someone says something offensive, then I really don't see how their state of health is in the least bit relevant.

I do not watch Eastenders but do like Wendy Richard. She was very good in " Are You Being Served"

No, it's not a FACT - it's just your opinion.

I can't say I know anything about the incident, but I hardly think it's accurate to describe her as an "old lady", as if she was some doddery old codger who didn't know any better.

Why should people who found her comment offensive now be sorry because she's dying of cancer? Are their comments somehow supposed to have precipitated the disease?

If someone says something offensive, then I really don't see how their state of health is in the least bit relevant.

So bullying a oldish lady (she is 65 its hardly young) is not worse than making a flippant comment with no actual offence meant as she clearly made obvious by how upset she was ?
You are right its not fact, just my opinion sorry about that (its a FACT btw :P

I know what i find to be in poorer taste.

IMO they should feel bad, for trying to make a lady feel awful, just to make them selves look ''good'' getting offended on others behalf.
some people want to be offended by anything and everything because they have nowt better to do.

Thats cool btw rivelin, glad its cleared up mate :)

So bullying a oldish lady (she is 65 its hardly young) is not worse than making a flippant comment with no actual offence meant as she clearly made obvious by how upset she was ?
You are right its not fact, just my opinion sorry about that (its a FACT btw :P

I know what i find to be in poorer taste.

IMO they should feel bad, for trying to make a lady feel awful, just to make them selves look ''good'' getting offended on others behalf.
some people want to be offended by anything and everything because they have nowt better to do.

Thats cool btw rivelin, glad its cleared up mate :)

I've been known to get offended on others' behalf and it's got bugger all to do with making myself look "good". Perhaps I don't have anything better to do, but I happen to believe that sticking up for other people is actually a worthwhile thing to do.

Just like you obviously believe that sticking up for Wendy Richard is worthwhile - we just have different ideas of who's worth sticking up for.

I've been known to get offended on others' behalf and it's got bugger all to do with making myself look "good". Perhaps I don't have anything better to do, but I happen to believe that sticking up for other people is actually a worthwhile thing to do.

Just like you obviously believe that sticking up for Wendy Richard is worthwhile - we just have different ideas of who's worth sticking up for.

Furry muff dozy :thumbsup:

I just tend to stick up for indivuduals getting bullied rather than a entire country/continent/religion etc, as i believe singling one person out is worse, as they can easily think everyone is against them and them alone, which is not nice.

Furry muff dozy :thumbsup:

I just tend to stick up for indivuduals getting bullied rather than a entire country/continent/religion etc, as i believe singling one person out is worse, as they can easily think everyone is against them and them alone, which is not nice.

But every country/continent/religion etc, is composed of individuals, and I don't think being bullied/discriminated against hurts any less because the individual belongs to a larger group who are suffering the same fate.

Can I just point out that Wendy Richards 'crime' was in referring to someone as 'oriental' - which in all honesty, until this silly furore blew up, I wasnt aware was a racially sensitive word.

Too many people get hung up on words, when they should concentrate on the motivations behind the words IMO.

Oriental is racist?

Who decided?