BBC star dies suddenly from flu aged 56 after being put on ventilator

A BBC star has tragically died from flu at the age of 56.

Kerry Wilson, who appeared on shows such as The Jonathan Ross Big Talent Show, died on January 3 after being put into an induced coma and a ventilator. Sadly, she never recovered and passed away after contracting sepsis.

She was the first-ever winner of Bob Says Opportunity Knocks back in 1987 and later appeared on The Jonathan Ross Big Talent Show and Talking Telephone Numbers. She also appeared on Who Do You Do? and played Cheryl Colclough on BBC Radio Stoke's first ever soap opera.

Her heartbroken mum Linda confirmed Kerry's death and paid a moving tribute to her daughter and "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 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"

Kerry was diagnosed with influenza A and her family had thought she was starting to recover, but she contracted sepsis. The NHS says sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection and happens when your immune system overreacts to an infection and starts to damage your body's own tissues and organs.

Linda said 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. Kerry was surrounded by her family when she died.

Linda urged people to get their flu jabs. "Kerry didn’t have the vaccine this year.," she said. "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, who sadly has lost a child before, said Kerry was a "local celebrity" and described her as a "comedian, an impressionist, a singer, and an all-round entertainer". She said Kerry was a "beautiful person inside and out".