Emmerdale star Gaynor Faye's mum Kay has passed away aged 71

18 May 2022, 08:54

Kay Mellor is best known for writing hit TV dramas and has two famous daughters.

TV writer Kay Mellor has sadly died at the age of 71-years-old.

The star was best known for penning Band of Gold, Fat Friends and The Syndicate, with a spokesperson confirming the sad news this week.

A spokesperson from her TV production company, Rollem Productions, said: "It is with profound sadness that we announce the untimely and sudden passing of our beloved friend, mentor and colleague Kay Mellor on Sunday 15th May 2022.

"We have lost a phenomenal talent and a true luminary. We ask that you please respect the privacy of the family and friends at this time."

Born in Leeds, Kay started her career at Granada Television in the 1980s where she wrote scripts for Coronation Street and Channel 4 soap Brookside.

She shares two famous daughters, actress Gaynor Faye and producer Yvonne Francas, with husband Anthony, as well as four grandchildren.

Gaynor is best known for starring as Judy Mallett in Coronation Street from 1995 until 1999, and later playing Megan Macey in Emmerdale from 2012 until 2019.

The star also worked with her mum, playing Lauren Harris in Fat Friends.

She told The Mirror back in 2014: "I love everything my mum does. She writes brilliant ­dialogue and great characters, especially strong women.

"But I’ve been in her stuff and I’ve made a conscious decision I wasn’t going to do any more. I made it as an actress in my own right and I didn’t want anyone thinking that I just did her stuff.

"Then Emmerdale came along and it’s been fantastic from day one."

She continued: "We work well together because we can cut through the flowery behaviour and be very direct. I know her voice really well and where she’s coming from.

"We don’t take offence easily but I’m truthful and sometimes that is met with a sharp look or word, which is fair enough. She understands I have her best interests at heart."

Gaynor left Emmerdale because she promised her mum she would appear in the stage version of her drama, Band of Gold.

"I was working on Emmerdale at the time and got involved in workshopping Band of Gold and people just loved it… absolutely loved it," said Gaynor.

"Then I got asked if I would be in it, but I was still in Emmerdale, so then I had to make the choice whether or not I was going to leave Emmerdale or not. That was a big choice to make.

"She [Kaye] really wanted me in it. She really liked my version of Rose so, for her, she really wanted me to do it. But it was a big decision I had to make and I didn’t make it lightly."

Despite claiming she’d never work with her mum again, Gaynor starred in the fourth series of The Syndicate.