Lynda Bellingham Facebook campaign launched urging OXO advert to be reinstated on Christmas Day
The campaign aims to give the actress “one last Christmas” as she had wanted
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Your support makes all the difference.A campaign has launched urging ITV to bring back its Lynda Bellingham festive OXO adverts on Christmas Day.
The actress, who died from colon cancer on Sunday, was planning on ending her chemotherapy in November so that she could spend one final Christmas with her family.
Fan Tina Burrell, who set up one of the Facebook pages (both of which have the same aim), said that having Bellingham’s OXO adverts aired would give the actress “her one last Christmas – not in person, but in spirit”.
The campaign was launched on Monday and has already attracted over 7,000 Facebook likes, thanks in part to a mention on Loose Women – which the actress used to present.
Burrell told the BBC that she would abandon the idea if Bellingham’s family had any problems with it.
OXO has issued the following statement regarding the campaign, noting that, while the company is monitoring the Facebook activity closely, the organisation is also aware that it is a sensitive time for Bellingham's family.
"Lynda was a fabulous actress with a career spanning many years," reads the statement. "She will always be remembered as the OXO Mum but we don't wish to overshadow all the other inspiring things she did with her life and career by focusing solely on our adverts.
"For the past two years we have partnered with MacMillan Cancer Support, one of the charities supported by Lynda, to raise more than £250,000 to help families affected by cancer and we will continue to support this valuable cause. The adverts can be found on YouTube for anyone who would like to revisit them."
Bellingham has been fighting colon cancer since July 2013 and announced earlier this month that she was planning on ending her chemotherapy.
She died in the arms of husband Michael Pattemore last weekend and is survived by her two sons, Michael and Robbie.
“The decision to give up chemo was a huge relief because I took back some control of myself. It's there on the table if I want it,” she told BBC Breakfast.
“I don't want the boys or my husband to see me die a little sad old lady. I want to go out there as I am.”
Pattermore said that he wants his late wife to be remembered, above all, as an actress.
“I just want her to be remembered as an actress more than anything - not as a celebrity or one of the Loose Women,” he said.
“She started her career as an actress and never thought of herself as a celebrity. She's always been an actress.”
He said that her epitaph will read: “The curtain went up on May 31 1948, and the final curtain went down on October 19 2014.”
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