Beloved actor Timothy West dies aged 90

13 November 2024, 11:01 | Updated: 13 November 2024, 11:35

Legendary actor Timothy West has died aged 90.

West, who died in his sleep on Tuesday, starred in a wide range of roles across a 60-year acting career.

He was well-known for long stints in the soaps Coronation Street and EastEnders, as well as many other roles on stage and screen including comedy drama Brass and sitcom Not Going Out.

West was married to Prunella Scales, who was best known for her performance as Sybil in Fawlty Towers, for 61 years.

Scales, who survives her husband, appeared with him in the Great Canal Journeys series from 2014.

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"We would like to thank the incredible NHS staff at St George's Hospital, Tooting, and at Avery Wandsworth for thei loving care during his last days."

In Brass he played ruthless self-made businessman Bradley Hardacre from 1982 to 1984 before returning for a third series in 1990, while in Not Going Out he played Geoffrey, the father of Lucy Adams, played by Sally Bretton.

In Coronation Street he appeared in seven episodes in 2013 as Eric Babbage, while in EastEnders he played Stan Carter from 2014 to 2015.

During his career West also played former British prime minister Winston Churchill three times, in From Churchill and the Generals (1979), The Last Bastion (1984), and Hiroshima (1995).

In 2019, the Bradford-born actor played Private Godfrey in Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes, a recreation of three missing episodes of the BBC comedy Dad's Army.

He was also a regular performer of Shakespeare, playing Lear in 2016 and 2002.