Veteran screenwriter Kay Mellor has died at the age of 71, her production company has announced today.
During a decades-long career, she was responsible for such shows as Fat Friends, Band of Gold and The Syndicate, as well as writing episodes of Coronation Street and Brookside.
A spokesperson for Rollem Productions said: "It is with profound sadness that we announce the untimely and sudden passing of our beloved friend, mentor and colleague Kay Mellor on Sunday 15 May 2022.
"We have lost a phenomenal talent and a true luminary. We ask that you please respect the privacy of the family and friends at this time."
Charlotte Moore, the BBC's chief content officer, said: "Kay was an outstanding writer and the creative force behind many of the nation's best loved dramas.
"She wrote with such heart, humanity, humour and passion with strong female characters often taking centre stage. She will be missed and our thoughts are with her friends and family at this difficult time."
Mellor is survived by her husband of 54 years, Anthony, their two children and four grandchildren.
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