Lost For Words — Deric Longden

When Annie Londgen suffers a stroke, her world and her son Deric's, suffer a massive change and she finds herself, literally, lost for words.

My mother's eccentricity was something the family took for granted, it had always been there â€" her inventive way with words and her strange logic that was ever so slightly twisted. Deric Longden

‘Do you want to buried Mum or do you want to be cremated?'
‘Oh I don't know love. Surprise me.'

I can't imagine how I would feel if it ever came to the point where it would be better for my Mum to be in a home. Deric is naturally one of life's carers. He's very sensitive to everybody and he always looks outside himself. It is amazing what he's been through but he just copes and does what he has to do. That comes out very strongly in the story.'

Pete Postlethwaite (who plays Deric in the screen adaptation of Lost for Words).

‘ Oh, Deric, I've left the key for you.'
‘Thanks Luv, Where abouts?'
‘ I've stuck it in the lock so you can find it.'

‘I've grown enormously fond of her (Annie Longden). She's a comical lady who has conversations with her cat and who sells her house by showing her buyers that it's falling to pieces. It's very funny. It appeals to me that there's comedy in this tragedy.' Dame Thora Hird (who plays Annie Longden in the screen adaptation of Lost for Words).

The film ‘Lost for Words' attracted a TV audience of more than 12 million viewers

Won International EMMY for Drama 1999
Nominated for three BAFTAS in 1999 : Won Best Actress - Dame Thora Hird,
Nominated for Best Single Drama and for Best Actor - Pete Postlethwaite
Royal Television Award for Best Actor â€" Dame Thora Hird
National Television Award for Most Popular Actress - Dame Thora Hird
George Foster Peabody Award (Peabody Awards) for excellence in broadcasting.