Royal honour 'gorgeous' says TV writer

Mellor, who wrote hit series such as Band Of Gold and Fat Friends, received her award from the Prince of Wales.

Mellor said afterwards: "He said how lovely it was that I was getting an OBE. I told him I've got A Passionate Woman coming out at Easter and he said, 'I'll watch out for that'.

"He said, 'Keep up the writing'. I knew he'd watched stuff before. I think he watched Fat Friends.

"It's amazing that people have nominated me. It's wonderful to see my work on the screen but now I have had recognition from those people out there and royalty. It's gorgeous."

A Passionate Woman, which stars Billie Piper, tells the tale on a young wife who falls deeply in love with a neighbour with disastrous consequences, and is based on Mellor's late mother.

"It's a tribute to her," she said, and added that it was this series of which she was most proud.

She began her career writing plays, worked on Coronation Street and created the award-winning children's drama Children's Ward. She also wrote BBC One's women's football series Playing The Field.

She was joined at the palace by her husband Anthony and two daughters, the actress Gaynor Faye and television producer Yvonne Francas.