I think one of Victoria Wood's secrets to success was quality over quantity. She didn't really do appearances on panel shows just Clue and QI, I think, and took her time writing and making her sitcoms and drama series. Most years we would be lucky if we got a new Christmas Special, but the comedy was some of the best.
I'd argue Peter Kay worked in the same way. Although it's slightly tainted by how much he milks the stuff he's done in the past while he's not working on anything.
I think the fact that today everybody is speaking about her work rather than her personal life just sums up what a star she really was, especially in comparison to some of the so called "celebrities" of today.
It should also be noted Tate appeared on the BBC's questionable Hall of Fame, paying tribute to Wood by performing The Ballad of Barry and Freda.
Not the first time she had performed that song - the Doctor Who cast did a version for a wrap party video that, inevitably, got posted online https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7JWY_oYlps
I think the fact that today everybody is speaking about her work rather than her personal life just sums up what a star she really was, especially in comparison to some of the so called "celebrities" of today.
I'd say that Victoria was famous rather than a celebrity - she didn't want to air her dirty laundry to make a quick bit of cash, and she kept her private life as private as she could. She didn't need to constantly be in the news and magazines to be known, her work spoke for itself.
I think the fact that today everybody is speaking about her work rather than her personal life just sums up what a star she really was, especially in comparison to some of the so called "celebrities" of today.
I'd say that Victoria was famous rather than a celebrity - she didn't want to air her dirty laundry to make a quick bit of cash, and she kept her private life as private as she could. She didn't need to constantly be in the news and magazines to be known, her work spoke for itself.
And also it must be said, even the life she conveyed in her stand up act was fictional, relying on very little reality from her home life.
Better than nothing, but it's a shame how it seems specially-produced tribute programmes are becoming less and less common in favour of repeated retrospective shows.
Maybe the obit people are just rushed off their feet recently...
LS
Lou Scannon
To be fair, a programme focusing on career achievements, rather than the circumstances of and/or reaction to the death, is the most fitting tribute.
Yes, it obviously won't account for the absolutely most recent career activities, but if it was first made/shown relatively recently anyway then that's good enough.
For example, "The Many Faces of Ronnie Corbett" was first shown only a couple of months before he died anyway, and "Victoria Wood: Seen on TV" is only from 2012.
Given what people have already said here about Victoria Wood being very much a quality over quantity person, there'll probably only be the odd one or two things of note that she did in the last three/four years anyway, so this programme will still be a good reflection of 99% of her career.
It's not inconceivable (although unlikely) that it might even be a slightly revised version of the programme, with a couple of newer bits tagged on to the end?
Better than nothing, but it's a shame how it seems specially-produced tribute programmes are becoming less and less common in favour of repeated retrospective shows.
Are you suggesting that the BBC should be knocking on the doors of Julie Walters & co today for a new interview?
Rushing a repeat out and following it a few months later with a newly produced tribute is not a new trend. In fact, it has been the standard as far as I can remember.
In terms of the more recent deaths we've had, there's nothing to say there won't be further programming later in the year. For example, a repeat programme was rushed out for Mel Smith with a specially recorded introduction, but about 4 or 5 months later a proper tribute was aired.
Yep, both Mel Smith and Rick Mayall had really good, well produced tributes broadcast at Christmas, some moths after they died. That's a much better way of doing it rather than rushed out in the weeks afterwards. Gives a chance for those who knew and worked with them the most the chance to appear
