Victoria Wood (born May 19 1953) is a British comedienne, actress, singer and writer. She has written and starred in sketches, plays and sitcoms, and her live stand-up comedy act is interspersed with songs of her own composition, which she accompanies on piano.

Wood was born in Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and studied drama at the University of Birmingham, beginning her show business career as an undergraduate. Her first big break was as a novelty act on the BBC's consumer affairs programme, That's Life in 1976. Her first play, Talent (1978) won her an award for Most Promising New Writer, and she has since won many awards for her light entertainment performances.

Wood is often regarded as among the top sitcom writers in Britain due to her understanding of British culture and high command of the English language. Her sitcom Dinnerladies is regarded along with The Royle Family as a prime example of dialogue-based TV comedy: shows in which the focus is more on discussion between characters than story or action.

Wood married magician Geoffrey Durham in March 1980, but they separated in October 2002. They have two children, Grace and Henry.

She has starred in several series of her own, including:

• Wood and Walters (1981) (with Julie Walters)
• Victoria Wood As Seen On Television (1984)

Highlights of the series include:

the classic spoof soap opera "Acorn Antiques" -- Mrs Overall (Julie Walters), the bad camera angles, Celia Imrie's superb sarcastic tone, the wobbly sets and the unforgettable line "..and 87p change. Enjoy your antiques!".

The sarcastic BBC announcer (played by Susie Blake): "We'd like to apologise to our viewers in the North. It must be so awful for you up there."

• A television film, Pat and Margaret starring Wood and Julie Walters as long-lost sisters with very different lifestyles.
• Dinnerladies (sitcom) (1999)

She was awarded the OBE in 1997.

In 2003, she was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy. In a 2005 poll to find The Comedian's Comedian, she was voted amongst the top 50 comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders.