Tributes to Canvey mum Sam Ramplin who took on Hollywood

Sam Ramplin has been laid to rest following her tragic death at the age of 47.

Ms Ramplin was born and bred on the island, but her career saw her talking to Hollywood stars in Los Angeles and coming second on the reality show Hell’s Kitchen in 2007.

Ms Ramplin interviewed stars such as Jamie Lee Curtis and Jack Black when presenting the show Tinseltown in the 2000s.

Sam Ramplin presenting Tinseltown in Hollywood. Pic: Actos One-Stop Shop

As well as presenting, she was a talented hairdresser and had a successful modelling career in newspapers and magazines, including The Sun and OK Magazine.

At one point she dated Batman star Michael Keaton.

Ms Ramplin tragically took her own life in January, a year-and-a-half after the death of her son Denny Richardson, 17, who was killed in a motorbike crash on Leigh Road on May 2, 2019.

Denny Richardson

Ms Ramplin’s funeral was held on March 26 on Canvey, with people coming out onto their doorsteps to show support.

Her family have shared fond memories of her.

Sister Michelle Thompson, 41, said: “She had a really great sense of humour.

“We’d often go out clubbing in London, coming back for parties afterwards.

“She did funny things like cutting people’s hair when drunk.

“She drove me nuts and I drove her nuts. We had our ups and downs but we were still together.”

Sam Ramplin with her daughter Summer Richardson

Ms Ramplin relocated to Spain in 2020, living there with her daughter Summer Richardson for a year until her death.

Ms Richardson, 26, said she wasn’t just her mother, but also her best friend.

She said: “She wasn’t much of a mumsy person but more of a friend. I would tell her everything. We would go out drinking together.

“When we were both single we would go out on the pull.

“She would come out with me and my friends. She loved singing and dancing around.

“She was my rock, and she was a strong woman, but losing Denny broke her.

“We went to Bali for a month-long spiritual getaway, it was the best thing we ever did.”

Sam Ramplin with Summer and Denny Richardson

In her speech read out at the funeral, Ms Richardson said: “I know how much you felt after losing your little boy, and I have accepted you are going to be with him now and your soul can rest in a beautiful place.”

Her mother Lesley Ramplin, 67, said: “We were all together at Christmas, it was lovely, we all had a good time.

“We gave her a really lovely send off. Lots of people turned up to clap her out on the roads.”

Sam with her parents Lesley and Ken

Sam Ramplin