Popular Novelist Barbara Taylor Dead
LONDON, (ANI) Famed author Barbara Taylor Bradford passed away at age 91 on November 25, 2024, leaving behind an extraordinary literary legacy. A statement posted to her Instagram read, “With great sadness, we announce the death of Barbara Taylor Bradford OBE. The international bestselling author of A Woman of Substance leaves behind a phenomenal literary legacy, with 40 novels and 91 million books sold worldwide. Barbara, a proud Yorkshire woman, inspired millions with her incredible stories. She passed away peacefully yesterday, surrounded by loved ones. Her storytelling brilliance and warm heart will be dearly missed by all.”
Born in Leeds, England, Bradford became one of the most successful authors globally, with more than 91 million copies of her novels sold, published in over 40 languages across 90 countries. Bradford began writing at the age of seven and sold her first story to a magazine at age ten for seven shillings and sixpence. She left school at 15 to work in the typing pool at the Yorkshire Evening Post, later becoming a reporter and the first female editor at the age of 18. She moved to London at 20 and continued her career as a columnist and editor on Fleet Street.
Throughout her career, Bradford penned 40 novels, with her most recent book, The Wonder of It All, published in 2023. She married film and television producer Robert Bradford in 1963, and they moved to New York, where they lived until his death in 2019. Together, they adapted ten of her books for television, including the highly successful miniseries A Woman of Substance, which starred Jenny Seagrove and Liam Neeson. The miniseries was nominated for two Emmy Awards and garnered a record 13.8 million viewers during its 1985 premiere, setting a record for the UK’s Channel 4’s highest-ever audience.
In a tribute to Bradford, Seagrove shared, “It’s 1984, and I am about to meet the world-famous legend that is Barbara Taylor Bradford. I’m a young actress, very nervous. The door opens, and all I can say is that a powerhouse of glamour and warmth heads towards me, grabs me, hugs me, and says, ‘You are my Emma Harte.’ And that was the start of a long friendship.” Seagrove recalled their many shared moments, including working together on the miniseries Hold the Dream and sharing stories about their dogs. “Success never diluted her warmth and humor. She never forgot that she was just a girl from Yorkshire who worked hard and did well,” Seagrove said. “RIP dear friend.”
