Linda Pritchard

A short autobiography: Linda kindly sent some photos and an biography to be included in this site. Read about her early life, and where she is now: Click here.

Linda has published two books about Jeremy:

• The Jeremy Brett - Linda Pritchard Story is a biographical account that tells of Linda's interaction with Jeremy roughly from their first meeting on Sept. 12, 1988, until his death on Sept. 12, 1995. The book is available at:
  Amazon U.S. // Amazon U.K. // eBay

• A Pictorial Tribute to Jeremy Brett: The Definitive Sherlock Holmes. This extremely rare book with more than 100 images from Jeremy's career is sometimes available on eBay.

In another book about Jeremy, Bending the Willow, author David Stuart Davies devotes a chapter to the special lady who had entered Jeremy's life as a fan and gradually became a close friend and nurse:

Linda Pritchard was this lady, a diminutive Londoner with fierce determination and a spirit of steel. She cared for and nursed Jeremy devotedly in the last few years of his life as his health slowly, but inexorably, deteriorated.

Like so many of us, Linda had noticed Jeremy on TV, as Sherlock Holmes, and became captivated by him. At the same time, she was planning a run around Great Britain to raise money for cancer research. When she had some opportunities to meet Jeremy following performances of the stage play The Secret of Sherlock Holmes, she told him about her quest and he offered his help.

Jeremy Brett gallery of photos, courtesy of Linda Pritchard. Click for larger views:
Wyndham's Theatre, 1989:			Manchester, 1994:
Publicity pics for run, 1989:			Starting the run at Greenwich, April 12, 1989:

Linda's run, "Keep Hope Alive," began in Greenwich April 12, 1989, and Jeremy was there to see her off. Jeremy helped Linda a great deal with publicity and also donated his prize of 3,000 pounds that he'd won for being "Pipesmoker of the Year."

Later, it was Linda who would help Jeremy throughout his mental and physical ailments. In one article, Jeremy said, "When I was desperately ill, I left my body, maybe for an hour, and moved onto an astral plane. When I returned, this angel, this pixie, was sitting at the foot of my bed. She began to question every medication I'd been on. She saved me. A miracle occurred. I remembered I'd had rheumatic fever when I was 16 which left me with an enlarged heart and a weak valve."

With Linda's help, he learned more about the nature of manic depression and the effects of his medication upon his heart. During this period, as Jeremy fought to keep the severity of his manic episodes under control, Linda commented:

Caring for Jeremy made me realize the enormous effort it took a sufferer to recover from a manic depressive episode. One's self-confidence is shattered and life is never quite the same again. Yet time and time again I saw Jeremy pick himself up and face the illness with more courage than anyone could possibly imagine. He was one of the bravest people I have ever met, and I have met many brave people in my time. During my run around Great Britain, I visited cancer wards and hospices and encountered many cancer victims who faced the disease with incredible fortitude. ... Jeremy battled through a cruel and devastating illness and when the illness became almost impossible to bear, he put out his hand an comforted those who suffered too. He was an inspiration to me and a beacon of light to other sufferers and I continually thank the workings of fate that brought us together.

Article: Linda talks frankly about Jeremy's breakdown (PDF)

Video clip: Jeremy talks about Linda in an interview with Derek Jameson, July 4, 1989 

A short autobiography: Linda kindly sent some photos and an biography to be included in this site. Read about her early life, and where she is now.