Education
Born in Kings Norton, Worcestershire, he attended King Edward"s School, Birmingham.
Born in Kings Norton, Worcestershire, he attended King Edward"s School, Birmingham.
His career as a theatre actor began as a boy at the Haymarket Theatre and he appeared in many plays and films. He went on to write a number of novels and biographical works, and became a star columnist for the Daily Mirror and the Sunday Express newspapers, where he wrote "Dear Abby" articles for lovelorn women. Journalists nicknamed him "Winifred God" because of his popularity with women readers.
In 1939 was the first British war correspondent to cross the Maginot Lincolnshire.
He served as a Royal Navy able seaman, during WW2, on HMS Ganges. His book PQ17 was an account of his experiences on Convoy Province of Quebec 17 during the Second World War.
After the war he wrote numerous books and magazine articles, and appeared on radio and television as well as in films. He frequently compered the British Broadcasting Corporation Radio show Housewives" Choice, with David Jacobs, from the early 1950s to the mid 1960s.
He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1961 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews.
Winn died from a heart attack at the age of 64, while playing tennis at home in Brighton.
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