Julie Walters had some heartfelt things to say about her long-time friend Victoria Wood, who died last year
Julie Walters has paid tribute to the much-loved writer, actor and comedienne Victoria Wood, who died last year.
Julie's long-time friend and comedy partner, Victoria, passed away in April of last year, after being diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2015.
On the one-year anniversary of her death, the BBC will be honouring Victoria’s work with a six-part series, Our Friend Victoria. Julie will present one episode of the series.
Talking to What’s on TV on the blue carpet at the Royal Television Society Awards 2017, Julie recalled her fondest memory of working with the star.
"I think it was when we very first worked together on Wood & Walters back in 1981 up at Granada," recalls Julie. "We were very young and mad. And when I first met her at the Bush Theatre, thinking: 'Who is this amazing woman?', and we just clicked. So those are the memories I think I'll carry with me."
When asked what she thought made Victoria such a great writer, actress and comedienne, Julie replied: 'She just had an amazing way of looking at life and she had such an extraordinary ear for people's frailty but in a funny way, and for puncturing pomposity. And it was about our everyday lives; it always felt so close to home everything that she did. Just really funny, nobody like her."
It was a big night for Julie, who had been nominated in the best actor category for her role in the Operation Yewtree-inspired drama, National Treasure.
The Channel 4 drama was nominated in four categories in all, including a best actor nod for Julie’s co-star Robbie Coltrane, who played the central character of Paul Finchley, a television comedian accused of raping a 15-year-old girl several years earlier.
Asked why she thought National Treasure was an important drama, Julie replied: “It was very topical, very of the moment, I think it’s something that needs discussion and it opens it out for people to do that. Drama would be very boring if it shied away from subjects like that.”
Despite National Treasure's serious subject matter, Julie revealed she and Robbie still managed to have some fun on set.
"Not all the time, because it was serious and hard in many ways. But, yes, there were times, when we did have a really good laugh. There's no doubt about that!"
