Victoria Wood

Victoria Wood (born May 19 1953) is a British comic, actress, singer and writer. She has written and starred in sketches, plays and sitcoms, and her live stand-up comedy act is interspersed with songs of her own composition, which she accompanies on piano.

Wood was born in Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and studied drama at the University of Birmingham, beginning her show business career during her time as an undergraduate. Her first big break was as a novelty act on the BBC's consumer affairs programme, That's Life in 1976. Her first play, Talent (1978) won her an award for Most Promising New Writer, and she has since won many awards for her light entertainment performances. She married magician Geoffrey Durham in 1980.

She has starred in several series of her own, including:

• Wood and Walters (1981) (with Julie Walters)
• Victoria Wood As Seen On Television (1984)

Highlights of the series include:

the classic spoof soap opera "Acorn Antiques" -- Mrs Overall (Julie Walters, the bad camera angles, Celia Imrie's superb sarcastic tone, the wobbly sets and the unforgettable line "..and 87p change. Enjoy your antiques!".

The sarcastic BBC announcer (played by Susie Blake): "We'd like to apologise to our viewers in the North. It must be so awful for you up there."

• A television film, Pat and Margaret starring Wood and Julie Walters as long-lost sisters with very different lifestyles.
• Dinnerladies (sitcom) (1999)

She was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1997.