Maureen Rees

Maureen Rees (born 25 February 1942) is a British television personality from Cardiff, Wales, who was Britain's first reality-television star. She became prominent in the late 1990s after her appearances in two series of the BBC One docuseries Driving School, which received 12 million viewers. The series followed several individuals, located in either Bristol or South Wales, during their driving lessons through to the undertaking of their driving exam. Prior to the series, the Reeses had spent hundreds of pounds (quantified by Rees as 80% of her income) on lessons and four failed practical tests. During the series, Rees twice more failed to pass the test, as well as the driving theory exam. During series, she received the nickname the driver from L.

Rees eventually passed on 6 June 1997, at the seventh attempt, in the last episode in an automatic, though after the series finished she also passed a test in manual-transmission vehicle.