Cynthia Payne

Cynthia Diana Paine was born in Bognor Regis, Sussex, England on 24 December (Christmas Eve) 1932,England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: JAN 1933 2b 498 WESTHAMPNETT — Cynthia D Paine{{Cite web |date=17 November 2015 |title=Cynthia Payne |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/cynthia-payne-wv6sk2pvz |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Times |language=en-GB}} as the elder child to Nelson Arthur Paine (1904–1979),England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915: JAN 1905 2b 370 CHICHESTER — Nelson Arthur PaineEngland & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007: APR 1979 (aged 74) 18 1625 CHICHESTER — Nelson Arrthur Paine a hairdresser, who worked on Union Castle liners, and his wife,England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005: APR 1930 2b 983 WESTHAMPNETT — Nelson A Paine = Elizabeth Light Elizabeth (née Light; 1906–1945),England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915: JAN 1906 2b 375 CHICHESTER — Elizabeth LightEngland & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007: OCT 1945 (aged 39) 2b 531 CHICHESTER — Elizabeth Paine a housewife, who died from throat cancer when her daughter was 12 years old. Her birth was registered in Westhampnett in January 1933. She had a younger sister, Wendy A StokesEngland & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005: APR 1956 5h 799 CHICHESTER — Wendy A Paine = Victor K Stokes (née Paine; born 1934).England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: JUL 1934 2b 529 WESTHAMPNETT — Wendy A Paine

Payne was expelled from her convent boarding school for being a "bad influence". She trained as a hairdresser, before working as a waitress,{{Cite web |last=le Duc |first=Frank |date=16 November 2015 |title=Brighton's most famous former waitress – Madame Cyn – dies aged 82 |url=https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2015/11/16/brightons-most-famous-former-waitress-madame-cyn-dies-aged-82/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=Brighton and Hove News |language=en-GB}} and later, as a shop assistant. As a teenager, she moved to London to work in a department store, Swan & Edgar.

Payne, known as "Madam Cyn",{{Cite news |last=Rawlinson |first=Kevin |date=15 November 2015 |title=Former brothel madam Cynthia Payne dies, aged 82 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/nov/15/former-brothel-madam-cynthia-payne-dies-aged-82 |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |last=Brooks-Pollock |first=Tom |date=16 November 2015 |title=Cynthia Payne: Brothel keeper known as 'Madame Cyn' dies aged 82 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/cynthia-payne-brothel-keeper-known-as-madame-cyn-dies-aged-82-a6735731.html |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Independent |language=en-GB}} first came to national attention in December 1978,{{Cite web |last=O'Connell |first=Dee |date=5 May 2002 |title=What happened next? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2002/may/05/features.magazine157 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=15 November 2015 |title=Britain's best known madam Cynthia Payne has died |url=https://www.itv.com/news/update/2015-11-15/britains-best-known-madam-cynthia-payne-has-died-aged-82 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=ITVX |language=en-GB}} when police raided her home, 32 Ambleside Avenue,{{Cite web |last=Masey |first=Anthea |date=27 January 2017 |title=This well-connected South London town is on the rise |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/where-to-live/living-in-streatham-area-guide-to-homes-schools-and-transport-a94951.html |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Standard |language=en-GB}} in Streatham, a suburb in South London,{{Cite news |date=28 November 2015 |title=Sex in Streatham |url=https://www.economist.com/obituary/2015/11/28/sex-in-streatham |access-date=12 March 2025 |newspaper=The Economist |language=en-GB |issn=0013-0613}} while a sex party was in progress. Men, using difficult-to-forge luncheon vouchers to provide "proof of services performed", paid to dress up in lingerie and be spanked by young women.{{Cite web |last=Davies |first=Hugh |date=14 December 2004 |title=Payne's sex party souvenirs for sale |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1478955/Paynes-sex-party-souvenirs-for-sale.html |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Telegraph |language=en-GB}} Police found 53 men at her residence, in varying levels of undress, including "a peer of the realm, an MP, a number of solicitors and company directors and several vicars". A cartoon in the press at the time, according to Sarah Baxter in The Sunday Times, "showed a vicar in bed with a prostitute, confronted by a policeman. 'I demand to see my solicitor,' said the vicar, 'who is in the next bedroom.'"{{Cite web |last=Baxter |first=Sarah |date=22 November 2015 |title=So long, Madam Cyn, a spanking, ethical example to us all |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/so-long-madam-cyn-a-spanking-ethical-example-to-us-all-8llm2hgq2d2 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Times |language=en-GB}} She slipped into prostitution to avoid eviction from her flat.

When the case came to trial in 1980,{{Cite web |last=Ballantyne |first=Aileen |date=16 May 2013 |title=From the archive, 16 May 1980: Lunch voucher madame wins cut in jail term |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2013/may/16/cynthia-payne-sentence-reduced-1980 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB}} Payne was sentenced to 18 months in prison, reduced to a fine and six months on appeal.{{Cite news |date=11 February 1987 |title=1987: Mrs Payne is no brothel Madam |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/11/newsid_2539000/2539565.stm |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=BBC |language=en-GB}} She served four months in HM Prison Holloway, a closed category prison for adult women and young offenders in Holloway, London. She was released from prison on 17 August 1980,{{Cite web |date=23 October 2003 |title=Cynthia Payne |url=https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/brothel-keeper-cynthia-payne-original-publication-people-news-photo/2628981 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=Getty Images |language=en-GB}} where she was picked up by a former client in his Rolls-Royce. She gave the awaiting photographers a V-sign and the quote: "V for victory, V for voucher."

In 1986, the police raided Payne's home again, this time, during a "special party" she was hosting after shooting of the film of her life had been completed. Although she was acquitted on this occasion,{{Cite web |last1=Jacobson |first1=Philip |last2=Cross |first2=David |date=12 February 2003 |title=On This Day The Times, February 12, 1987 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/on-this-day-the-times-february-12-1987-x6nwpq3kxwx |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Times |language=en-GB}} the resulting court case in 1987{{Cite web |last=Moncur |first=Andrew |date=12 February 2016 |title=Cynthia Payne trial - sexual marathon that strained courtroom calm |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/12/cynthia-payne-trial-brothel-court-1987-archive |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB}} made headlines for several weeks with lurid tales, some details of which she aired on the ITV comedy talk-show The Dame Edna Experience, broadcast on 17 October, co-guesting with Sir John Mills and Rudolf Nureyev,{{Cite web |last=Benedictus |first=Leo |date=19 March 2012 |title=Barry Humphries as Dame Edna: a career in clips |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/mar/19/dame-edna-career-in-clips |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB}} on which she launched her book, Entertaining at Home: 101 Party Hints from Britain's Most Popular Hostess ({{ISBN|978-0-14-010618-3}}), which was published by Penguin. The court case ended her career as a party giver.{{Cite news |last=Furness |first=Hannah |date=10 January 2019 |title='Madam Cyn', Britain's best-known brothel keeper, takes her place in history |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/01/10/madam-cyn-britains-best-known-brothel-keeper-takes-place-history/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}{{Cite web |last=Mann |first=Sebastian |date=16 November 2015 |title=Britain's best-known madam Cynthia Payne dies aged 82 |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/britains-bestknown-madam-cynthia-payne-dies-aged-82-a3115061.html |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Standard |language=en-GB}}

Payne appeared on the BBC Two programme Joan Rivers: Can We Talk?, in the episode broadcast on 31 March 1986.{{Cite web |date=31 March 1986 |title=Joan Rivers: Can We Talk? |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/1da54b61b8014645b3e8e749cbc7fe4d |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}

Payne appeared on the BBC Two documentary, Personal Services-The Making of a Celebrity, which was broadcast on 1 May 1987. She spoke to Joan Bakewell.{{Cite web |date=1 May 1987 |title=Personal Services-The Making of a Celebrity |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/431c2893c3e446319b979ac25f100f50 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}

Payne appeared as a panellist on the BBC One comedy game show Blankety Blank, hosted by Les Dawson, in the episode broadcast on 20 November 1987.{{Cite web |date=20 November 1987 |title=Blankety Blank |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/6802228d110847bd946cf3e3e9c3fe22 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}

While appearing on The Dame Edna Experience in 1987, Payne expressed an interest in becoming a Member of Parliament in order to change Britain's sex laws, which she followed through by standing for Parliament as a candidate for the 'Rainbow Alliance Payne and Pleasure Party' banner in the Kensington by-election in July 1988,{{Cite web |last=Boothroyd |first=David |title=Results of Byelections in the 1983–87 Parliament |url=http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1983.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405203844/http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1983.html |archive-date=5 April 2018 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=United Kingdom Election Results |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=27 October 2009 |title=Payne |url=http://geocities.com/byelections90/kensington88/Payne.html |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=British Parliamentary By Elections |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091027100639/http://geocities.com/byelections90/kensington88/Payne.html |archive-date=27 October 2009 |language=en-GB}} followed by her standing in her own area, Streatham, for the Rainbow Dream Ticket in the 1992 General Election. She did not gain a parliamentary seat.{{Cite news |last=Reid |first=Rebecca |date=16 November 2015 |title=Cynthia Payne: The desperately British brothel madam all feminists should remember |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/sex/cynthia-payne-the-british-brothel-madam-feminists-should-remember/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}

Payne appeared on BBC News with Robert Kilroy-Silk on 31 July 1990.{{Cite web |date=31 July 1990 |title=News |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/37afae1b64e44081a735696dc1b24a87 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}

Payne appeared as a guest on the BBC One talk show Wogan, in the episode broadcast on 5 August 1991.{{Cite web |date=5 August 1991 |title=Wogan |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c4fde653544247b4a8a7553230bfdda0 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}

Payne appeared on three episodes of the BBC Radio 2 radio programme The Law Game, in the episodes broadcast on 24 September 1991,{{Cite web |date=24 September 1991 |title=The Law Game |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/2b0686bc9af84fb0941f55644ca1d741 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}} 1 October 1991{{Cite web |date=1 October 1991 |title=The Law Game |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/94213fee050a460290dac7767aac7e27 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}} and 4 March 1992.{{Cite web |date=4 March 1992 |title=The Law Game |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/3388781e9a2d470596fa765b79977bc0 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}

Payne appeared on the BBC One programme Showbiz People, in the episode broadcast on 9 July 1992.{{Cite web |date=9 July 1992 |title=Showbiz People |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/485bdcdde5f447c0ab33555df9790782 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}

Payne was the subject of the BBC Two series Celebrity Mantelpiece. The episode, directed and produced by Nicholas Barker, was broadcast on 6 October 1993.{{Cite web |date=6 October 1993 |title=Celebrity Mantelpiece |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e76bf95412ca48f1829d07c2367c4082 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}

Payne appeared as a guest on the BBC Two mock talk show The Mrs Merton Show, in the episode broadcast on 24 February 1995.{{Cite web |date=24 February 1995 |title=The Mrs Merton Show |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/6779eb89afa8411c98d8f9f6205207b6 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=24 February 1995 |title=The Mrs Merton Show |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/p00hl7wb |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}} She made a second appearance in the episode broadcast on 18 May 1995.{{Cite web |date=18 May 1995 |title=The Mrs Merton Show |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e3cb57e72120466dbc22e57eb64ac496 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}

Payne appeared as a guest on the BBC Two talk show Esther, in the episode broadcast on 19 April 1996.{{Cite web |date=19 April 1996 |title=Esther |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c9812455e6414be79de7c0e7d66ceab6 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}} She made a second appearance in the episode broadcast on 10 February 1998.{{Cite web |date=10 February 1998 |title=Esther |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/cee25215cf81484aaea5819fe25be274 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}} She made a third appearance in the episode broadcast on 17 August 1998.{{Cite web |date=17 August 1998 |title=Esther |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/996a81fb37a748baa4b2176f382c28b3 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}

Payne appeared the BBC Two magazine show Menzone, in the episode broadcast on 21 March 1998, where she spoke to Tim Grundy.{{Cite web |date=21 March 1998 |title=Menzone |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/2bf8d1b0cad148eab14cd6363bb4dc43 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}

Payne made appearances as an after-dinner speaker, and launched a range of "adult" services and products in 2006.{{Cite web |last=Dowling |first=Tim |date=18 November 2015 |title=When Cynthia Payne gave me a luncheon voucher |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/18/cynthia-payne-luncheon-voucher-wentworth-golf |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB}}

Payne had two sons. She fell pregnant by a much older married man and gave birth to her elder child, who was eventually fostered. She financed his boarding school education and later attended his wedding. She gave her younger child up for adoption at a few weeks old. She had three abortions. Although she was always known as Mrs. Payne, she never married.{{Cite web |date=16 November 2015 |title=Cynthia Payne, madam - obituary |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11997909/Cynthia-Payne-madam-obituary.html |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Telegraph |language=en-GB}} She had five grandchildren.{{Cite news |date=9 December 2015 |title=Monty Python's Terry Jones leads tributes at funeral of Cynthia Payne |url=https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/monty-pythons-terry-jones-leads-tributes-at-funeral-of-cynthia-payne/34274167.html |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=Belfast Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}

Payne lived at 32 Ambleside Avenue,{{Cite web |last=Noble |first=Will |date=21 April 2023 |title=Cynthia Payne - Queen Of Streatham's Luncheon Voucher Sex Parties |url=https://londonist.com/london/features/cynthia-payne-sex-parties-streatham |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=Londonist |language=en-GB}} SW16 1QP,UK, Electoral Registers, 2003-2010: 2003-2009 32, Ambleside Avenue, SW16 1QP London, London — MS Cynthia PayneUK, Electoral Registers, 2011-2018: 2014-2015 32 Ambleside Avenue, SW16 1QP City of London, London — Cynthia Payne a detached Edwardian four-bed house, in Streatham, South London, which she bought for £16,000 in 1974, until her death. Her secretary and advisor, Gloria Walker, later moved in with her. At one time, the musician and perennial parliamentary candidate, Screaming Lord Sutch, lived with her.{{Cite web |last=Moynihan |first=Tim |date=1 September 1999 |title=Lord Sutch fought long battle with depression |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Lord+Sutch+fought+long+battle+with+depression.-a060467108 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240418083548/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Lord+Sutch+fought+long+battle+with+depression.-a060467108 |archive-date=18 April 2024 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Free Library |language=en-GB}} Land Registry records show her house was sold for £1.25M in October 2016.

Payne had once been a muse of the London-based Scottish fashion designer Christopher Kane at London Fashion Week.{{Cite web |last=Cochrane |first=Lauren |date=20 September 2017 |title=Cynthia Payne, the Queen and Offred: a who's who of London fashion week |url=https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2017/sep/20/cynthia-payne-the-queen-and-offred-a-whos-who-of-london-fashion-week |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB}}

Payne died at King's College Hospital{{cite ODNB|doi=10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.110892|title=Payne, Cynthia Diane (1932–2015)|year=2019|last1=Hamilton|first1=Christine|isbn=9780198614128}} in Camberwell on 15 November 2015. She was 82.{{Cite web |date=15 November 2015 |title=Brothel keeper Cynthia Payne dies |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34828890.amp |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}England and Wales, Death Index, 1989-2023: 15 NOV 2015 (aged 82) CITY OF LONDON — Cynthia Diana Paine{{Cite web |date=15 November 2015 |title=Notorious Brothel Owner Cynthia Payne Dies |url=https://news.sky.com/story/notorious-brothel-owner-cynthia-payne-dies-10339425 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=Sky News |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Campbell |first=Duncan |date=16 November 2015 |title=Cynthia Payne obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/nov/16/cynthia-payne |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB}} Her family celebrated her life with a colourful humanist{{Cite web |date=7 December 2015 |title=Humanist funeral for 'Madam Cyn' Cynthia Payne, 'the best hostess in London' |url=https://humanists.uk/2015/12/07/humanist-funeral-for-madam-cyn-cynthia-payne-the-best-hostess-in-london/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=Humanists UK |language=en-GB}} funeral service on 9 December 2015, in accordance with her wishes. She was buried at Streatham Park Cemetery in Greater London.{{Cite web |last=Bullen |first=Jamie |date=9 December 2015 |title=Mourners pay tribute at funeral for notorious former brothel madam Cynthia Payne |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/mourners-pay-tribute-at-funeral-for-notorious-former-brothel-madam-cynthia-payne-a3133916.html |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Standard |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Waring |first=Olivia |date=9 December 2015 |title=Britain's best-known brothel madam sent off with 'sex' wreath and French maid mourners |url=https://metro.co.uk/2015/12/09/britains-best-known-brothel-madam-sent-off-with-sex-wreath-and-french-maid-mourners-5554961/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=Metro |language=en-GB}}

In November 2016, it was reported that Payne had left nearly £1.3M in her will, which was divided equally between her sons. The bulk of her estate was made up by the value of her house in Streatham.

Source(s): {{Cite web |title=Cynthia Payne - BBC Programme Index |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?order=first&q=Cynthia+Payne |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Cynthia Payne |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0668290/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=IMDb |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Cynthia Payne |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/cynthia_payne |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Cynthia Payne |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/cynthia-payne/3000469368/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=TV Guide |language=en-GB}}

There are two verified biographies that are about Payne's life; An English Madam: The Life and Work of Cynthia Payne ({{ISBN|978-0-224-02037-4}}), written by Paul Bailey and published by Jonathan Cape in 1982,{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Craig |date=12 October 2017 |title=Writing Cynthia Payne's biography – archive, 1982 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/oct/12/cynthia-payne-biography-paul-bailey-1982 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB}}{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=28 October 2024 |title=Paul Bailey, novelist who explored love and loss and wrote an acclaimed biography of Cynthia Payne |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2024/10/28/paul-bailey-author-love-loss-cynthia-payne-died-obituary/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=30 October 2024 |title=Paul Bailey obituary: award-winning novelist and gleeful gossip |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/obituaries/article/paul-bailey-obituary-award-winning-novelist-and-gleeful-gossip-q26kwfg53 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Times |language=en-GB}} and Sexplicitly Yours: Trial of Cynthia Payne ({{ISBN|978-0-14-010543-8}}), written by Gloria Walker, her secretary and advisor, which was published by Penguin Books Ltd in 1987.{{Cite news |last=Robertson Qc |first=Geoffrey |date=18 November 2015 |title=Geoffrey Robertson QC: 'The police wasted a lot of taxpayers' money in bringing Cynthia Payne to trial' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/geoffrey-robertson-qc-the-police-wasted-a-lot-of-taxpayers-money-in-bringing-cynthia-payne-to-trial-a6739776.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20211213200113/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/geoffrey-robertson-qc-the-police-wasted-a-lot-of-taxpayers-money-in-bringing-cynthia-payne-to-trial-a6739776.html |archive-date=13 December 2021 |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=The Independent |language=en-GB}}

There are two comedy films that are loosely based on Payne's life, both released in 1987; Wish You Were Here,{{Cite web |last=Clarke |first=Jude |date=17 April 2017 |title=How we made Wish You Were Here |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/apr/17/how-we-made-wish-you-were-here-emily-lloyd |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB}} about her adolescence growing up on the Sussex coast,{{Cite web |last=Ebert |first=Roger |date=31 July 1987 |title=Wish You Were Here |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/wish-you-were-here-1987 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140925222209/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/wish-you-were-here-1987 |archive-date=25 September 2014 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en-GB}} with Emily Lloyd in the lead role of Lynda Mansell,{{Cite web |last=Woolley |first=Stephen |date=29 December 2023 |title=My friend David Leland's films always cheered for the underdog |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/dec/29/my-friend-david-leland-films-always-cheered-for-the-underdog |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB}} and Personal Services,{{Cite news |date=20 January 2010 |title=Julie Walters tells of fear over Mo Mowlam role |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8470780.stm |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=BBC |language=en-GB}} about her adult life, starring Julie Walters in the lead role of Christine Painter,{{Cite web |last=Beddington |first=Emma |date=25 February 2024 |title=An audience with Cynthia Payne, 1987 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/25/from-the-observer-archive-an-audience-with-cynthia-payne-1987 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB}} and directed by Terry Jones.{{Cite web |last=Bradshaw |first=Peter |date=22 January 2020 |title=Monty Python film director Terry Jones: full of fun and innocence – and a very naughty boy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/jan/22/terry-jones-monty-python-actor-film-director |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB}} Both were written by David Leland,{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=1 January 2024 |title=David Leland, writer-director who had success with Personal Services and Wish You Were Here – obituary |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2024/01/01/david-leland-writer-director-actor-obituary/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}} who also directed Wish You Were Here,{{Cite web |last=Pulver |first=Andrew |date=27 December 2023 |title=Wish You Were Here director David Leland dies aged 82 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/dec/27/wish-you-were-here-director-david-leland-dies-aged-82 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB}} which was filmed in Brighton, Worthing and Bognor Regis{{Cite web |title=Wish You Were Here |url=https://www.reelstreets.com/films/wish-you-were-here/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=Reelstreets |language=en-GB}} over a period of six weeks; the first day of filming was on Lloyd's 16th birthday. Personal Services was banned in the Republic of Ireland on 13 March, upon theatrical release, although the ban was lifted two months later, after being overturned by the Film Appeals Board on 12 May.{{Cite web |title=Archived copy |url=https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/5179XTV53FL._AC_.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200716063654/https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/5179XTV53FL._AC_.jpg |archive-date=16 July 2020 |access-date=12 March 2025 |language=en-GB}}

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Category:1932 births

Category:2015 deaths

Category:20th-century British businesspeople

Category:English brothel owners and madams

Category:English humanists

Category:People acquitted of crimes