Elizabeth Mary "Liddy" Oldroyd was an English television director known for her work as the director of all 65 episodes of the situation comedy show Drop the Dead Donkey between 1990 and 1998, earning her several awards.
19 Facts About Liddy Oldroyd
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Liddy Oldroyd was the first female director of the satirical puppet programme Spitting Image.
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Elizabeth Mary Oldroyd was born on 16 June 1955 in Guildford, Surrey.
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Liddy Oldroyd was the youngest of four children to working class parents Elsie and Fred Oldroyd, a mechanical engineer who died when Liddy was eleven years old.
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Liddy Oldroyd was similar in character to her father, and wanted to become a show business actress.
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Liddy Oldroyd was educated at Guildford County School for Girls, where she was unable to pass her Latin examination but succeeded in Drama lessons.
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Liddy Oldroyd later attended the University of York where she succeeded in acting and singing.
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Liddy Oldroyd created a television project on Fountains Abbey as part of her English degree which began her career in the industry.
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Liddy Oldroyd began as a production assistant for London Weekend Television in 1979, and worked on Game for a Laugh and later The Six O'Clock Show.
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Liddy Oldroyd acted as an announcer for the BBC World Service and her career advanced when she was selected to be a trainee directorship in 1986.
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Liddy Oldroyd married Peter Gwilliam in 1983 and the couple had three children.
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Liddy Oldroyd was the first woman to direct an episode of the satirical puppet programme Spitting Image.
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Liddy Oldroyd was one of the directors of Channel 4's situation comedy and black sitcom Desmond's in 1989.
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Liddy Oldroyd found her greatest success when she acted as director for all 65 episodes of the situation comedy show Drop the Dead Donkey between 1990 and 1998.
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Furthermore, Liddy Oldroyd directed some children's drama programmes, Channel 4's 1997 serial Underworld, and the sitcom Gimme Gimme Gimme.
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Liddy Oldroyd focused her attention on fundraising treatment, inspiring her friends and acquaintances to help her cause by taking treks to Morocco and Nepal along with organising a cycling tour across France.
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Liddy Oldroyd established the Living with Carcinoid support group to provide long-distance help for others affected by the illness.
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Liddy Oldroyd's work led to her being featured on The Timess 2000 Christmas appeal.
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Liddy Oldroyd died on 27 June 2002 at the age of 47.