Who could resist Candy Davis? With her hypnotic eyes, blonde bombshell image, and sparkling screen presence, she became a household name in the 1980s. As Miss Belfridge on the beloved BBC sitcom Are You Being Served?, she charmed audiences with wit and glamour. Yet, beneath the laughter and the lights, Candy longed for something deeper. What followed was a transformation few could have predicted—she shed the sitcom persona and reemerged as Mo Hayder, a crime and horror novelist whose chilling works earned global acclaim.
Early Life: A Rebel Spirit
Born Clare Damaris Bastin on January 2, 1962, in Essex, she grew up in a supportive and structured home. But convention never suited her. By age fifteen, she had left school behind, determined to carve her own future. Moving to London, she embraced freedom and reinvention, taking her first steps toward a career that would span glamour modeling, acting, and eventually, literature that would terrify and captivate millions.
Video : Candy Davis Miss Belfridge mix AYBS S09E02
Becoming Candy Davis: Modeling Fame and Sitcom Stardom
Clare reinvented herself as Candy Davis in the early 1980s. With striking features and undeniable charisma, she became a popular Page 3 model, capturing the public’s imagination. But Candy wanted more than magazine spreads. Her big break arrived in 1983 when she joined Are You Being Served? as Miss Belfridge, the flirtatious and quick-witted secretary.
Her role brought her into living rooms across Britain, turning her into a comedy darling. Candy’s presence added sparkle to the sitcom’s final two seasons, and she later appeared in other television productions, including the cult favorite Minder. By all accounts, Candy Davis was poised to remain a staple of British entertainment.
From Stardom to Searching: A Radical Shift
Yet Candy’s ambition extended beyond typecast roles. After a short-lived marriage to actor Gary Olsen, she left her television career behind and moved to Japan. There, far from the glitz of London, she worked as an English teacher and hostess. These years exposed her to the shadows of human experience—alienation, survival, and violence.
Tokyo was a turning point. In those quiet yet turbulent years, Candy’s fascination with the psychology of crime deepened. She began to explore storytelling through short films and early writing, unknowingly building the foundation for her next great reinvention.
The Birth of Mo Hayder: A Dark Literary Voice
Returning to the UK in the late 1990s, Candy Davis disappeared and Mo Hayder emerged. In 2000, she released Birdman, a gritty crime thriller that shocked readers with its graphic realism and introduced Detective Jack Caffery. The novel sold more than 130,000 copies in Britain alone, instantly establishing her as a bold new literary talent.
Video : Candy Davis Miss Belfridge mix AYBS S10E05
Her follow-up, The Treatment (2001), pushed boundaries further, tackling the harrowing subject of child abuse. Mo Hayder quickly became known as a fearless storyteller unafraid of exploring humanity’s darkest corners. Over the next two decades, she penned acclaimed novels including Tokyo (2004), Pig Island (2006), and Gone (2012), which earned the prestigious Edgar Award.
Critical Success and Global Reach
Mo Hayder’s works sold millions of copies worldwide and were translated into dozens of languages. Her books didn’t just entertain—they disturbed, provoked, and lingered in the minds of readers. In 2014, her novel The Treatment was adapted into the Belgian film De Behandeling, bringing her haunting narratives to the screen. Critics hailed her as “the UK’s Thomas Harris,” while her loyal readers embraced her for daring to tell stories others avoided.
Balancing Light and Darkness
Despite her reputation as a master of horror and crime, friends remembered Mo Hayder—once Candy Davis—as witty, warm, and endlessly charming. She raised her daughter, Lotte, while building her career, and later married retired police sergeant Bob Randall in 2021.
Her dual life was striking: the glamorous sitcom actress of the 1980s and the literary force of the 2000s. Each identity informed the other, creating a story of extraordinary reinvention and resilience.
A Final Chapter: Facing Illness with Courage
In December 2020, Mo Hayder was diagnosed with motor neuron disease. She passed away on July 27, 2021, at the age of 59, leaving behind a legacy of laughter, fear, and creativity. Her final project, The Book of Sand (2022), was released posthumously under the pseudonym Theo Clare. This departure into speculative fiction once again proved her refusal to be boxed in by a single genre or expectation.
The Enduring Legacy of Candy Davis and Mo Hayder
Today, Candy Davis is remembered fondly by sitcom fans for her sparkling portrayal of Miss Belfridge. At the same time, Mo Hayder’s novels continue to grip readers with their intensity and brilliance. Two identities, seemingly worlds apart, belong to one extraordinary woman whose life reminds us that reinvention is not just possible—it can be transformative.
Conclusion
Candy Davis, later known as Mo Hayder, lived a life defined by courage, creativity, and the power of transformation. From her days as a beloved sitcom star to her reign as one of the most fearless voices in crime fiction, she showed the world that identity is not fixed—it’s something we can shape again and again. Her journey from lighthearted comedy to chilling horror is proof that brilliance wears many faces, and true legacy comes from daring to evolve.
