Brigit Forsyth on euthanasia, internet dating and whether she’d consider Likely Lads revival – ChronicleLive

Likely Lads star Brigit Forsyth has revealed her GP grandfather helped dying patients end their lives - and that she supports euthanasia.

Brigit is playing a terminally ill musician in her latest venture, so perhaps it is that which sparked her bare all interview.

The star, who played Thelma Harris in Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? disclosed that her grandad helped patients end their lives.

Her mother, Anne, told her that Dr Noel Forsyth carried out a long line of mercy killings.

The actress says: I know for a fact, and Im sure its true of all doctors at the time, he bumped off probably loads of people with doses of morphine.

When they were having a horrific death from cancer or something, in terrible pain.

He would just up the morphine and then they died. I dont see anything wrong with that. Hed be called a murderer today, but thats what people were doing.

The law says youre not allowed to help people get off this planet. Well, I think it probably needs to be looked at.

Brigit was delivered by her grandfather, who brought hundreds of infants into the world during the time he practised, from around 1906 up to his death in 1948.

But she believes Dr Forsyth also helped hundreds of people to die, in and around the town of Malton, North Yorkshire.

He probably did. But surely its better people go nicely than have a horrible, strung-out death.

I think its terrific that he did that. I think euthanasia is a very good idea. To me, its a nightmare if youre kept going as a sort of vegetable, or in pain.

Is it so bad to say, I cant walk, I cant see, I cant hear so Id like to get off this planet now. I would take myself off to Dignitas . I would make it very clear that was what I wanted.

Brigit, 76, spoke about euthanasia as she was preparing to star as a dying musician in Killing Time, which is now playing in London.

Discussing death also prompted another revelation, this time about her late husband, the TV director Brian Mills.

After they wed in 1975, he became an alcoholic, which destroyed their marriage and eventually killed him in 2006, aged 72.

For the first time, Brigit says it was his addiction that led to her walking out on him in 1999.

She said: I woke up one morning and I thought, Im going to have to go. I never, ever thought I would leave him and it was awful. But it was the right thing to do.

I would have stayed if hed gone for help. But he didnt want to stop drinking. He didnt think there was a problem. You cant live with it I couldnt.

We had some super laughs before the booze kicked in. He was such a lovely guy and the humour was terrific.

But its just heartbreaking, it completely alters peoples personalities.

After I left we became friends. We never divorced, we just separated. He was still my husband when he died. I thought, We dont need to do that. I just dont want to live with him anymore.

The couple had a son, Ben, and daughter, Zoe, and Brigit now has grandchildren.

But despite having her family around her, she still mourns the loss of a partner.

I never thought Id be in my 70s and not have a partner. Thats the sad bit, but Ive got used to it, she reveals.

Brigit feels the absence of a man particularly keenly as she hasnt lost her sex drive.

Things do change. Im talking about sex, she says. It fades, but not entirely.

Theres still a bit of me thats still ticking. I see a lot of men and think, I wouldnt kick you out of bed. And if Brad Pitt turned up on my doorstep, I wouldnt close the door. Id invite him in for a drink.

Brigit has tried internet dating, but its yet to prove successful.

My daughter and niece made me do it. I never would have done it by myself, she admits.

Unfortunately, Ive met some boring old sods who just want to talk about themselves.

But while she may not have an active love life, Brigits works keeps her busy.

Along with Killing Time, shes currently on TV screens as Madge in BBC Ones Still Open All Hours. Born in 1940, she trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

She starred in TV drama Adam Smith, where she met Brian, in 1972.

A year later she got her big break, as Thelma in the hit BBC sitcom, Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads?, which ran from 1973 to 1974, with a film in 1976.

Since then, shes been in everything from Boon and Poirot to Coronation Street and Holby City. On stage, shes starred in Calendar Girls and Single Spies, Alan Bennetts acclaimed stage show, in which she played the Queen.

But would she consider taking part in a revival of Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads?

She replies: I cant imagine wanting to play Thelma again. It was wonderful for its time and its the reason why Im still working today. Theyre obsessed with bringing stuff back. I think its because theyre terrified of not having a hit. But they should explore new material, because theres loads of talented people out there.

Speaking of talented people, Brigits daughter, Zoe Mills, is both the author of Killing Time and her co-star in the show. Brigit plays the terminally ill former cellist, Hester, while Zoe takes on the role of her social worker.

And, despite the dark subject matter, the play is actually a comedy.

Brigit explains: Theres this woman is a feisty ex-musician whos very sorted about it all. She thinks, Oh well Im dying, so what?. But everybody around her is saying, Oh dear, it must be awful for you. But these two women gradually form a very prickly friendship and thats where the comedy comes from, which was a huge relief.

Because I was worried about it simply being advertised as a play about a woman dying because I thought, People need this like a hole in the head.

Killing Time is on at the Park Theatre, Finsbury Park, London, until March 4.