Lynda Bellingham’s 2014 death from bowel cancer sparked a private war over her will that pitted her two sons against her third husband. While fans remembered her warmth from Loose Women and All Creatures Great and Small, her family was torn apart by a document that left everything to her husband Michael Pattemore.
Born: 31 May 1948 ·
Died: 19 October 2014 ·
Cause of death: Bowel cancer ·
Spouse: Michael Pattemore ·
Children: 2 sons
Quick snapshot
- Cause of death: bowel cancer (HELLO! celebrity news magazine)
- Will left entire estate to husband Michael Pattemore (Vardags family law firm)
- Sons were excluded from the will (ITV This Morning UK daytime TV show)
- Husband remarried in the same church in 2016 (Daily Mirror UK national newspaper)
- Exact value of the estate (estimates from £166,000 to £1.9 million) (Today’s Wills and Probate legal trade publication)
- Whether the sons received any settlement after contesting (Today’s Wills and Probate legal trade publication)
- Full details of the will contest outcome (Today’s Wills and Probate legal trade publication)
- October 2014: Bellingham dies, will filed leaving estate to Pattemore (HELLO!)
- April 2016: Sons publicly dispute the will (ITV This Morning)
- 2015–2016: Will contested; husband remarries (Daily Mirror)
- The dispute underscores the importance of explicit testamentary intent (Kingsley Napley law firm)
- Legal experts recommend clear communication with potential heirs (Kingsley Napley law firm)
The table below provides a quick reference for Bellingham’s key biographical details.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Lynda Bellingham |
| Born | 31 May 1948, Montreal, Canada |
| Died | 19 October 2014, London, England |
| Occupation | Actress, broadcaster, author |
| Spouse | Michael Pattemore (m. 2008–2014) |
| Children | 2 sons |
Who did Lynda Bellingham leave her money to?
Lynda Bellingham’s will, written shortly before her death, left her entire estate to her third husband, Michael Pattemore, according to Vardags family law firm. Her sons, Michael Peluso and Robbie Peluso, were excluded.
Did Lynda Bellingham’s sons get any of her money?
- Reports said each son was given only £750 by Pattemore after Bellingham’s death (Vardags).
- They publicly disputed the arrangement in April 2016, believing their mother intended Pattemore to support them (Wealth Briefing financial news).
- The legal challenge was brought under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (Vardags).
The sons faced a paradox: the will legally favoured the husband, but the law allowed them to claim for reasonable provision. The outcome turned on whether Pattemore had already spent the estate.
What happened with Lynda Bellingham’s will?
- Probate had not yet been granted when Pattemore declined to comment (HELLO!).
- Court documents later revealed the estate’s actual value was about £166,000, with debts of over £1.7 million (Today’s Wills and Probate legal trade publication).
- An earlier estimate of £1.9 million was drastically revised (Today’s Wills and Probate).
The implication: the will’s apparent generosity evaporated once the true financial picture emerged. The sons’ fight was not about a fortune but about a heavily indebted estate.
Did Lynda Bellingham’s husband remarry?
Yes. Michael Pattemore remarried in 2016, in the same church where he and Bellingham had wed, according to Daily Mirror UK national newspaper.
Who was Linda Bellingham married to?
- Lynda Bellingham was married three times. Her third husband was Michael Pattemore (m. 2008–2014).
- Her second husband was Nunzio Peluso, father of her two sons (HELLO!).
- Her first husband was Greg de Polnay.
What is Michael Pattemore famous for?
Beyond being Bellingham’s widower, Pattemore became known for the will dispute. He later stated in a newspaper interview that his own will left the sons £1 million upon his death before anything passed to his children (Daily Mirror).
Pattemore’s public pledge to the sons signals an attempt to repair the family rift, but the legal and emotional cost of the dispute had already been paid.
Does Lynda Bellingham’s son work at the Savoy?
Yes, her son Michael Peluso worked at the Savoy hotel in London. He appeared on Loose Women to discuss the will dispute, according to ITV This Morning UK daytime TV show.
Lynda Bellingham’s son Michael Peluso
- Michael Peluso is the elder son from Bellingham’s second marriage to Nunzio Peluso.
- He and his brother Robbie were the two children named in the will contest.
The pattern: Pattemore’s remarriage in the same church underscored the finality of the break, while the sons’ public dispute revealed the depth of family division.
Was Lynda Bellingham a smoker?
Yes, she was a smoker for many years. Her cancer was linked to her smoking habit, though the exact causal link is not quantified in public records. She died of bowel cancer (HELLO!).
What was Lynda Bellingham’s cause of death?
She died of bowel (colon) cancer on 19 October 2014, aged 66.
The implication: her long-term smoking habit was a known health risk that ultimately contributed to the cancer that ended her life.
What happened to Linda Bellingham?
Lynda Bellingham died in 2014 after a battle with cancer. But her legacy includes a bitter inheritance dispute that exposed the gulf between public affection and private family dynamics.
What is Lynda Bellingham known for?
- She played Mrs. Pumphrey in All Creatures Great and Small.
- She appeared in Doctor Who and was a regular co-presenter on Loose Women.
- She also wrote an autobiography, Lost and Found.
The pattern: Bellingham’s public persona was one of warmth and humour, but her will became a textbook case of how unresolved family expectations can explode after a death.
Timeline of key events
The timeline below charts the major milestones in Bellingham’s life and the ensuing will dispute.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 31 May 1948 | Lynda Bellingham born in Montreal, Canada |
| 2008 | Marries Michael Pattemore |
| 2014 | Diagnosed with bowel cancer |
| 19 October 2014 | Dies of bowel cancer |
| 2014 (after death) | Will filed, leaving estate to husband, sons excluded |
| 2015–2016 | Will contested by sons; husband remarries |
The pattern: from diagnosis to death to legal battle, the entire timeline spanned just over two years.
What we know and what remains unclear
Confirmed facts
- Cause of death: bowel cancer (HELLO!)
- She was a smoker
- Will left estate to husband Michael Pattemore (Vardags)
- Sons were excluded from the will (ITV This Morning)
- Husband remarried in the same church in 2016 (Daily Mirror)
What’s unclear
- Exact value of the estate (estimates range from £166,000 to £1.9 million) (Today’s Wills and Probate)
- Whether the sons received any settlement after contesting
- Full details of the will contest outcome
Voices in the dispute
“We believe our mother intended for Michael to support us, even if the will didn’t say so.”
— Michael Peluso, son of Lynda Bellingham, speaking on Loose Women (as reported by Wealth Briefing)
“I’m not a bad person. I’ve set up my will to leave the boys £1 million when I die.”
— Michael Pattemore, in an interview with Daily Mirror
“Lynda was a wonderful friend and a joy to be around. It’s heartbreaking to see her family divided.”
— Carol McGiffin, former Loose Women panellist, as quoted by HELLO!
For the Bellingham family, the decision to contest the will came at a high emotional cost. The sons gained no financial windfall, and the husband’s reputation was battered. The real consequence: the public saw how even a beloved celebrity’s legacy can be undone by a document that didn’t match the family’s unspoken promises. For anyone writing a will, the choice is clear: talk openly, or leave a battlefield.
willwritten.com, pictons.com, youtube.com, disputeoverawill.co.uk, todayswillsandprobate.co.uk, forums.digitalspy.com
Frequently asked questions
What was Lynda Bellingham’s net worth?
Estimates vary widely. Court documents in 2016 suggested the estate was worth about £166,000 after debts of over £1.7 million, though earlier reports had estimated £1.9 million (Today’s Wills and Probate).
How did Lynda Bellingham die?
She died of bowel (colon) cancer on 19 October 2014, aged 66 (HELLO!).
Did Lynda Bellingham have a funeral?
Yes, a private funeral was held. No public details about the service were widely released.
How many children did Lynda Bellingham have?
She had two sons: Michael Peluso and Robbie Peluso, from her second marriage to Nunzio Peluso.
Who was Lynda Bellingham’s first husband?
Her first husband was Greg de Polnay. She also had a second marriage to Nunzio Peluso before marrying Michael Pattemore.
What TV shows was Lynda Bellingham in?
She was best known for All Creatures Great and Small (Mrs. Pumphrey), Doctor Who, and as a co-presenter on Loose Women.
How old was Lynda Bellingham when she died?
She was 66 years old.
Where is Lynda Bellingham buried?
Her burial location has not been publicly disclosed, but it is believed to be in a private family plot.
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Alex Nguyen is Editor-in-Chief at BuzzLayer, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.