General Chat

the programme the other day called Liz Smith's Summer Cruise?

I couldn't believe what a lonely life she has led, and is still living, now in a flat in an old people's complex. She has some nice people around her but doesn't seem to have real friends and few relatives. Her mother died when giving birth to Liz's sister who also died, and she was brought up by her grandparents but her grandfather died when she was young so her grieving Gran had to cope alone.
I found it so sad. She enjoyed the cruise as much as was possible at 87, and some people went and spoke to her but didn't invite her to spend time at their tables etc so she seemed to have most of her meals and outings alone altho there were a few gentlemen, with their wives, who helped her along.

Lizx

just googled and found this:
Liz Smith was born Betty Gleadle in the Crosby area of Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire in 1921. Her mother died in childbirth when Smith was just two years old. Her father walked out of her life shortly afterwards, following his second marriage to a woman who did not want him to have any contact with his previous life or with his young daughter. She was raised by her widowed grandmother. During the Second World War, she chose to serve as a WREN in the Royal Navy because she liked the uniform. In 1945, she married Jack Thomas, whom she met while on service in India, and they had two children. However, Smith and Thomas divorced in 1959 and Smith brought up her son and daughter on her own. She has described this as an extremely difficult period in her life, as she struggled against financial difficulties and social disapproval of single mothers.

Yes I watched and enjoyed it
But she does seem a lonely and isolated lady,even with her friends in the complex
She did seem really pleased and suprised that anyone recognized her

Hi Mo, I felt really sad for her, what a lonely life she seems to have had and admitted she hadn't felt able to get close to people. Wonder if her family spend much time with her.

Have a nice day.

Lizx

I always enjoyed her in Vicar of Dibley making her wonderful cakes - she could have provided a lovely recipe with tomato sauce icing for the cookbook that was on this site a few weeks ago.

And in I Didn't know you cared - where she would carry her Black & Dekker in her hand bag. I'll just get my hammer and chisel out of mine.

She was a very talented lady, achieving a MBE and a BAFTA. I for one would certainly go and speak to her - she has always impressed me, but I wouldn't eat her baking.

Perse

I missed the beginning so didn't know all of this but got the same impression.

I was surprised when at the end she returned to an old people's complex but it may have been a more lonely existence if she had lived in a house alone.

People may have been put off because she was famous or because she was being filmed which is a shame.

Am I right in saying this was her first holiday?

I have always enjoyed watching her. She seems very happy in her flat with all she wants around her and company when she needs it, loved it when they were all asked who wanted fish and chips, I guess the chippie run happens in many sheltered housing complexes and the people enjoy their weekly treat. There are no airs and graces with Liz.

I loved her pink hat and the one she crocheted on board ship, she wore it in Venice and had made a crocheted flower to go on the side of it, fastened on with a big safety pin on show for all to see lol
Bless her.
Lizx

I would be keeping a distance and not want to bother a celebrity if i saw them out or in this case on the cruise cos i would presume they wouldn't want to be bothered with strangers talking to them .Pity really as Liz would probably have welcomed some company then ,but, you never know how someone would react.
Shirley

It was aired up here a couple of months or so ago, and I found it very enjoyable, but felt so sorry for her.
She has had a varied and busy life, yet has very few friends.
Thought it was very unfair to speak to her, just for show, as the cameras where there, I thought, but the few couples who helped her were wonderful.

She has had a hard life, and was late in life hitting the big time, but what a wonderful actress, and a funny person.
I did find some scenes of the programme quite sad, and would like to wish her well in her new home, which is in a complex, and hope she spends many happy years there.