Latest news with #PikSenLim
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Pik-Sen Lim obituary
The Malaysian Chinese actor Pik-Sen Lim, who has died of cancer aged 81, was one of the most recognised east Asian faces on British television and, despite being cast in stereotypical roles during her early decades on screen, enjoyed a 60-year career. Her highest-profile part came as the Chinese student Chung Su-Lee learning English at an adult education college in the ITV series Mind Your Language (1977-79). For Lim, taking a leading part in a successful sitcom – which attracted up to 18 million viewers – was a double-edged sword. 'I was forced to say 'flom' instead of 'from' and 'evely' for 'every',' she said. 'It was pretty corny. I had to learn pidgin English.' The programme was broadcast in an era when television sitcom was prone to amplify racial stereotypes. Alongside an Italian chef, Spanish bartender, Greek shipping agency worker, Japanese electronics expert, French au pair, a Sikh, a Muslim and other students of English as a second language, and with Barry Evans starring as Jeremy Brown, their teacher, Su-Lee was the Chinese embassy secretary, a dedicated communist and kung-fu enthusiast, always carrying around Mao Zedong's Little Red Book and quoting his anti-western sentiments. Michael Grade, then an ITV executive, commissioned Mind Your Language, but dropped it after three series, admitting it was racist. 'It was really irresponsible of us to put it out,' he said. Nevertheless, the sitcom was revived by other executives for a further series in 1986, although Lim did not reprise her role and not all ITV regional companies screened it. Soap operas had a much better record of representing members of minority-ethnic communities. Shortly after leaving drama school, Lim had an early opportunity to portray what is believed to be the first Chinese nurse on British television. She joined Emergency – Ward 10 in 1964 as Kwei-Kim Yen, a staff nurse at Oxbridge general hospital, who had a relationship with a doctor and stayed until the final episode in 1967. On leaving the serial, she appeared in the sitcom Sorry I'm Single (1967) as Suzy, a Chinese student from Hong Kong, one of three women living in a bedsit in a converted Hampstead house that was also home to an eternal student played by Derek Nimmo. Later came regular roles in Spearhead (1978-81) as a soldier's wife, and the short-lived soap Albion Market (1985-86) as Ly Nhu Chan, a Vietnamese stallholder selling wickerwork and baskets. She was born Lim Phaik Seng in George Town, Penang (then in British Malaya, and now part of Malaysia), during the second world war when it was occupied by Japanese forces. Her mother, Tan Siew Chin, was from a poor local family, while her father, Lim Cheng Teik, of Chinese origin, owned a successful rice mill. During her postwar childhood, Lim attended the Light Street convent school, where she was known as 'Pixi', and she was entranced by black-and-white films and visits to Teochew operas. She mounted her own productions in the family's dining room, acting with her brother, two sisters and cousins in front of relatives and neighbours. Lim's parents had plans for her to study at Cambridge University, with the aim of a career in law or accountancy, but she shocked them by dropping the bombshell that she was leaving home at the age of 16 to train at the Lamda drama school in London. She lived with her brother and changed her name from Phaik Seng to Pik-Sen Lim: 'My English friends were calling me 'fake' and I told myself, 'This just won't do.'' Her professional stage debut came in Euripides's Greek tragedy The Bacchae (Mermaid theatre, 1964) and she starred in the East German TV drama The Girl from the Jungle (1964), about Malaya's struggle for independence. In 1968, after her run in Emergency – Ward 10 ended, she married one of its scriptwriters, Don Houghton, who later created the Scottish soap Take the High Road. Houghton wrote the 1971 Doctor Who serial Mind of Evil, in which Lim played Captain Chin Lee, a member of the Chinese delegation at a world peace conference who, coming under the power of the Time Lord's arch-enemy, the Master, heightens tensions with the US. Lim also translated some lines into the Chinese language of Hokkien for a conversation between a delegate and Jon Pertwee, as the Doctor. While amassing dozens of one-off character parts on television, Lim appeared in half a dozen films. Her roles included an assistant to the Thought Factory boss acted by Bette Davis in Madame Sin (1972); the wife of an Asian diplomat (played by Burt Kwouk) in Plenty (1985), starring Meryl Streep; and a performance alongside Rowan Atkinson in Johnny English Reborn (2011) that led one critic to note that the 'best of the physical shtick here is the recurring appearance of an Asian granny called 'the killer cleaner' (Pik-Sen Lim), whose vacuum sweeper comes with an array of lethal attachments, including a chainsaw'. Her later TV parts included Aladdin's mother in the mini-series Arabian Nights (2000) and the regular roles of Chien, another student of English as a second language, in This Way Up (2019-21) and Queen Marina in the boarding school fantasy Vampire Academy (2022). She also voiced Grandma in the animated children's series Luo Bao Bei (2018). Lim and her husband were divorced shortly before his death in 1991. She is survived by their daughter, the actor Sara Houghton, a granddaughter, Phoebe, and her sister Quee Lin Lim. Pik-Sen Lim (Lim Phaik Seng), actor, born 15 September 1943; died 9 June 2025
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Doctor Who and Mind Your Language star dies at the age of 80 as pals share their emotional tributes
Actress Pik-Sen Lim has died at the age of 80. The actress was best known for her role in Doctor Who serial The Mind of Evil, and rose to fame playing Chung Su-Lee in the 1970s comedy Mind Your Language. Pik-Sen was previously described by the British Film Institute as 'the most recognisable Chinese actor on British television throughout the 1970s and '80s.' Born in British Malaya to to Malayan Chinese parents, Pik-Sen moved to England to pursue an acting career at the age of 16. After landing her breakout role in Mind Your Language, Pik-Sen Lim went on to appear in several TV shows, including Doctor Who. She also appeared in Coronation Street and Spearhead, as well as American series Vampire Academy and The Nevers. Pik-Sen also played the Killer Cleaner in the 2011 film Johnny English Reborn. Actor Daniel York Loh paid tribute to the star on Instagram, writing on Instagram: 'An iconic figure in so many ways, I'd seen her on TV in Mind Your Language amongst other things when I was a kid.' 'She was so affectionate, so witty, so brilliantly scabrous and absolutely honest about the rubbish this industry deals actors of our heritage - unlike a fair few others who actually try and cape it.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Pik-Sen Lim dead aged 80: Dr Who & Mind Your Language star who played Queen in Johnny English dies as pals pay tribute
BRIT actress Pik-Sen Lim, known for her roles in Doctor Who and Mind Your Language, has died aged 80. Pik-Sen rose to fame playing Chung Su-Lee in the 1970s comedy Mind Your Language. 2 2 Born in British Malaya to to Malayan Chinese parents, Pik-Sen moved to England to pursue an acting career aged 16. also appeared in British series like Coronation Street and Spearhead. Actor Daniel York Loh paid tribute to the star on Instagram, writing: "An iconic figure in so many ways, I'd seen her on TV in Mind Your Language amongst other things when I was a kid." He added: "She was so affectionate, so witty, so brilliantly scabrous and absolutely honest about the rubbish this industry deals actors of our heritage - unlike a fair few others who actually try and cape it." "We'll miss you so much but thank you, Pixi, for blessing our lives with your unique presence," he finished. is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
CNA
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
Mind Your Language star Pik-Sen Lim dies at age 80
British actress Pik-Sen Lim died on Jun 9 at the age of 80. Born in Penang, Malaysia, in 1944, Lim moved to the UK in the 60s to study at the London School of Dramatic Art. Following appearances in the soap opera Emergency Ward 10 and science fiction series Doctor Who, Lim gained global recognition after starring in the hit British sitcom Mind Your Language, which centred around a well-meaning teacher Jeremy Brown (played by the late Barry Evans) who tries his best to teach English to his class of international students, often to exasperating results. Mind Your Language ran from 1977 to 1979 and was briefly revived in 1985. Pik-Sen Lim starred as Chung Su-Lee, a patriotic student who worked as a secretary at the Chinese Embassy and often quoted Mao Zedong during lessons. Younger audiences would remember Lim as the killer cleaner lady in the 2011 spy comedy Johnny English Reborn, starring Rowan Atkinson. Lim was also the narrator of the Dark Souls video game series. Tributes have poured in from many of Lim's former colleagues, including Mind Your Language co-star Francoise Pascal, who played Danielle in the series. "I am so sorry to hear that Pixi [Lim's nickname] is no longer with us!" wrote Pascal. "The last time I saw her, many years ago, we were signing together. She was a very accomplished actress. She was admired by many. She was shy and hated any fuss being made around her! RIP. My thoughts and prayers are with her daughter Sara and her family."
Malay Mail
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Malaysian-born actress Pik-Sen Lim, known for roles in ‘Mind Your Language', ‘Doctor Who' and ‘Johnny English Reborn', dies at 80
KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — Malaysian-born British actress Pik-Sen Lim, best known for her role in the sitcom Mind Your Language, has died on Monday at the age of 80. Lim gained international recognition and became a familiar face on British and Malaysian television for her role as Chung Su-Lee in Mind Your Language, a popular British comedy that aired in the late 1970s. Born in Penang in 1944, Lim's birth name was romanised as Lim Phaik-Seng, but she later changed her given name to Pik-Sen after noticing that her British friends frequently mispronounced 'Phaik' as 'fake.' She starred in Doctor Who, playing Chin Lee in The Mind of Evil (1971), and appeared in British series such as military drama Spearhead, Coronation Street, Casualty, Holby City and The Bill. Her film credits include Johnny English Reborn (2011), in which she played the Killer Cleaner. More recently, she was the narrator in the Dark Souls video game series and appeared in American TV series The Nevers (2023) and Vampire Academy (2022). The British Film Institute described Lim as "the most recognisable Chinese actor on British television throughout the 1970s and 80s." She was fondly remembered by fellow actor Daniel Y Loh in a heartfelt tribute on Facebook. 'I acted on stage in two plays with her as well as numerous readings, workshops, audio etc as well,' Loh wrote. 'A joyous person, full of love and laughter and mischief, she was so much fun to be around and her gift for comedy was such that you always felt safe in front of an audience with her, that absolutely unique voice and vivacious energy carrying us all with her.' Loh recalled their time working together on several productions, including Citizens of Nowhere?, which they performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival the summer before the Covid-19 pandemic. They also shared the stage in a production of Romeo & Juliet, where he played Mercutio opposite Lim's Nurse. 'We've shared the same agent for the last 25 odd years and she'll be hugely missed there as well,' he wrote.
