FROM OXO MUM TO VICE QUEEN (28/6/04)

From TV Plus on Teletext.

Lynda Bellingham believes viewers will forget her cosy Oxo mum image when they see her as an evil vice queen in The Bill.

Lynda, 56, makes her debut as Irene Radford in tonight's episode and claims she is the "most evil character" she has played in a career spanning 30 years.

"Irene is about to lay to rest the ghost of the mum in the Oxo ads," she told TV Plus. "Irene is a very evil person who has the potential for murder. She runs a prostitution ring, importing girls from eastern Europe, for the UK sex market.

"She's head of a crime family with her sons David and Wayne. She learned her trade as a cat burglar and has a grudge against Sun Hill as her husband, Lenny, was shot dead by police after killing DC Rob Thatcher's dad. When Thatcher hears she's back from Spain, he plans his revenge."

And Lynda is having a great time going clothes shopping for the glamorous vice queen. She laughs: "Irene is a rich and expensive bird! She's well dressed, well coiffured and has very long nails.

"I get to wear some very nice Armani gear and a Louis Feraud suit as Irene is very high maintenance. She is a great character to play — she may be a mother but there's a huge gulf between her and the Oxo mum."

And she says she is looking forward to the fans' reaction to her new role, a real departure from the mumsy Oxo image she played for 16 years until 1999.

Best known for ITV1's At Home With The Braithwaites, Faith In The Future and All Creatures Great And Small, Lynda says of her new character: "I hope fans will be supportive and that they will enjoy her.

"She will get plenty of action in the next six months and have a showdown with Inspector Gina Gold (Roberta Taylor). It will be like a clash of the titans."

A divorcee with two sons, away from the camera Lynda is hopeful of romance but says: "I went on a blind date last year and it was a disaster and I don't think speed dating would work for me either."

"I haven't got time to be chatted up as I'm too busy filming. But I will probably get crooks chatting me up after they see Irene!"

As well as her new role in The Bill, Lynda is also the presenter of ITV1 daytime show Antiques Auction.

She says: "It was hectic. I've made 35 shows and it ends this week but I think there will be another series as the feedback has been really good.

"It is good fun and I've really enjoyed asking the questions about antiques that the public want answered. Also, I'm quite interested in antiques myself."