Lynda Lee-Potter

Lynda Lee-Potter (; 2 May 1935 – 20 October 2004) was a British journalist. She was best known as a columnist for the Daily Mail.

Early years Lynda Higginson was born into a working-class family in the mining town of Leigh, Lancashire. After leaving the Guildhall School, and using the stage name Lynda Berrison, she won a part in one of Brian Rix's farces at the Whitehall Theatre. Her husband became an eminent consultant haematologist, based at Poole Hospital, chairman of the Council of the British Medical Association from 1990 to 1993 and the deputy chairman of the professional conduct committee of the General Medical Council.

Daily Mail She joined the Daily Mail as a feature writer in 1967, but her big break came five years later, when Jean Rook left the Daily Mail for the Daily Express. Lee-Potter recalled: "I remember I had the day off, and our features editor phoned up and said: 'the editor (David English) wants you to come in and do a column,' and I said 'Oh, right'. I went in and did it. Every week I thought somebody else would probably take over. But it's just carried on."

She made no apology for her interest in the subject: "The only people who hanker after a classless society are those who want what other people have without working for it". Snobbery, she said, "will always be with us", adding: "It has certainly motivated me all my life. I may be ridiculous, but I don't care." She was named Columnist of the Year in 1984 and 2001, Feature Writer of the Year in 1987 and 1993, and Woman Writer of the Year in 1989.

Illness and death On 20 October 2004, Lee-Potter died from a brain tumour. She was survived by her husband and three children, all of whom followed their mother into journalism.