John Savident, known for playing Fred Elliott in Coronation Street, has died aged 86, his agent has said.
The actor was known for his booming voice while playing the local butcher on the ITV soap.
Outside Coronation Street, Savident's other screen credits included a role in political comedy Yes, Minister.
He also appeared in Doctor Who, Stanley Kubrick's dystopian thriller A Clockwork Orange, biopic Gandhi, war film Battle Of Britain, and period drama Middlemarch.
Savident also appeared opposite Sir Anthony Hopkins in 1993's Oscar-nominated The Remains Of The Day.
Comments
Was great as Fred Elliott. I say, I say, he were great as Fred Elliott.
RIP.
I say he was a great actor in his day
RIP Fred
"Our Ashley!"
First knew him as Fred Elliot, and then was always delighted when I saw him as a younger actor in other things, a bit like the first time I saw Alf Roberts in Get Carter, and not trying to pull Rita Fairclough in The Corner Shop.
ps I know its already been done but it's worth repeating - I say, I say, it's worth repeating.
Fred Elliot was an iconic Coronation Street actor and I was amazed to see him in A Clockwork Orange.
RIP
RIP.
He was stocking up at a local off licence when he recognised someone he thought had worked in pantomime with him, racking his brains he failed to put a name to the face.
As he joined the queue he still couldn’t place the face or put a name to it, as she turned to leave to the till he said “are you doing panto this year” to which came the reply of “No” accompanied by a filthy look.
Moving forward to pay, the guy at the till said, not often Princess Margaret comes into your shop!
He had indeed met her in panto, after the event backstage with the rest of the cast.