A BBC star who appeared on a Johathan Ross show has died from a flu aged 56.
Kerry Wilson died on January 3 after being put into an induced coma. The entertainer was diagnosed with influenza A and then contracted sepsis.
She tragically never recovered.
She was the first-ever winner of Bob Says Opportunity Knocks back in 1987 and went on to appear on TV favourites such as The Jonathan Ross Big Talent Show as well as Talking Telephone Numbers.
She also made appearances on Who Do You Do? and Summertime Special.
Kerry also dipped her toe into the acting world, landing her first role as Cheryl Colclough on BBC Radio Stoke’s first-ever soap opera.
Her mum paid tribute to her ‘best friend’.
She told StokeonTrentLive: “It was very sudden. She’s never been in the hospital in her life; no major health issues or anything like that.
“But then this new flu came along. It’s been devastating. You just don’t expect it – everyone gets flued up every winter.
“She told me she felt a bit sniffly. As mothers do, I said to her, ‘Why don’t you ring 111?’ By the weekend, she didn’t feel any better so she gave them a call.” Linda explained Kerry had a GP appointment “straight away” as her oxygen levels were low and within 12 hours she was put into a coma and on a ventilator.
Linda continued: “A little while later she was gone. It was really rapid and totally unexpected.” Kerry had her family with her when she died. Her mum heartbreakingly shared she has lost a child before and “never thought it would happen again”. Amid her grief, Linda is keen to celebrate Kerry’s life, talents and personality.
The devastated mum hopes by sharing Kerry’s story, more people will get their flu jabs.
“Kerry didn’t have the vaccine this year. I pushed her, but she didn’t go out a lot and the last time she had it made her feel unwell, so she decided not to bother. Her friends all went along to the chemist yesterday to get one,” Linda shared. Kerry made her first television appearance when she was just 19-years-old on Bob Says Opportunity Knocks and went on to win the show when it was hosted by presenter Bob Monkhouse.
The NHS says flu will often get better on its own, but it can make some people seriously ill. It’s important to get the flu vaccine if you’re advised to. NHS Scotland said they had received higher numbers of patients due to a rise in cases of flu over winter.
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