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ENGLISH ACTOR DEREK Fowlds, best knowing for playing Bernard Woolley in Yes Minister and Oscar Blaketon in Heartbeat, has died at the age of 82.
The actor passed away this morning his family have said.
The actor died at Royal United Hospitals Bath in the early hours of Friday morning after suffering from pneumonia that led to heart failure caused by sepsis.
He was surrounded by his family when he died and is survived by sons Jamie and Jeremy.
Fowlds began as a stage actor before moving to screen in the 1960s. His first professional acting job was appearing in weekly rep at the Prince of Wales Theatre in Colwyn Bay in 1958, while on summer holiday from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
He then found fame with children as Mr Derek on The Basil Brush Show, alongside the glove puppet fox with the catchphrase “boom boom!”, from 1969 to 1973, replacing Rodney Bewes as the presenter.
Later, he came to wider attention from 1980 for his portrayal of private secretary Bernard Woolley in BBC satirical comedy series Yes Minister.
He later appeared as a constant character on ITV’s Heartbeat throughout its 18-year run when he played police sergeant-tuned publican Oscar Blaketon.
Helen Bennett, his personal assistant and friend of many years, told the PA news agency:
He was the most beloved man to everybody who ever met him, he never had a bad word to say about anybody and he was so well respected, adored by everyone. You couldn’t have met a nicer person ever, he was just a wonderful man and I will miss him terribly.
Fowlds released his autobiography A Part Worth Playing in 2015.
- With reporting by Press Association
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Are the journal sponsored by Shane Ross?
@Skimothy: sponsored & owned by blue shirts finegael
How many articles are you gonna get out of that softball interview, The Journal?
I’ll say it again because it was deleted earlier….
Shane Ross the TD that roared and shouted in the Dail about everything that was wrong with Ireland and it’s politics. He then became a minister and quickly fell in line with the rest of them.
@Jason Ebbs: very true. A major disappointment indeed
Shane Ross is a messer. The other year the luas and buses were a disgrace in Dublin. Caused over 2 hour delays to many people. I decided to reach out to him. About 6 months later he tells me it’ll sort itself out….
@Madra: I know doctors that can’t sign into email, I wouldn’t be too harsh on this point.
@Alan Walsh: ffs, replied to the wrong comment
@Alan Walsh: 100mg per nocte!
Have we reached peak Shane Ross yet?
@Raymond Tom: nope. But the other chancers must be delighted he’s getting the colonoscopy treatment and not them. Jaysus he was even on Reelin’ in the Years the other day.
Take this for what it is lads and ladies, a funny side point on an interview. Fair enough you don’t like his politics, not a huge fan of him myself, but I’m personally happy to see a politician embrace the funny side of the circus of politics. He’s poking fun at himself for being a flawed human doing flawed human things like the rest of us. Separate the job from the individual and lighten up, it’s an all Ireland final Sunday, enjoy it!
@Y U no spell good?: ye he’s a great comedian
@Y U no spell good?: He sounded like he really enjoyed being a meme, that’s not how any of this works.
@STOIC SAVAGE: might be a new career path for him! :-)
@Cynical: sure who wouldn’t want to be immortalised in a quality meme!
@Y U no spell good?: Finally some good sense
Remember Shane “If I was the Minister for Transport the first thing I would do is remove that toll from the M50 bridge, the people of Ireland have paid enough in road tax to well pay for it”. Once they get their asses under that ministerial desk all perception of who they evaporates.
No self-awareness whatsoever, he actually thinks he came out of it looking good.
Lads there a bit no actually a lot of brown stuff round yer mouths there after each article the journal published on this lad…….should ease up like the
Seriously with all that’s going on this rubbish.
I actually thought this guy was ok until he got elected. What a plonker he turned out to be!
Nothing sadder than an auld fella trying too hard to be cool. The journal seem to love this fella though.
Journal. STOP giving that Man media time. His ego is bigger than his head. Do your job Ross and stop looking for publicity. Journal do your job.
Could be worse, could be photoshopped with Hitler, Stalin, the IMF, Merkel, Pinochet, Pol Pot, CJ…
Shame Ross Pathetic most political
An embezelleing toss pot
I read this article about 15 mins after meeting Shane Ross at a local soccer Mini WC this morning.. ☺
What a idiot
were evaporates
have your say