Nicholas Smith: Are You Being Served? actor dies aged 81

He is best know for playing Mr Rumbold in the BBC sitcom which ran from 1972 to 1985

Nicholas Smith died in hospital following a fall at his home (PA)

Nicholas Smith, who starred as manager Mr Rumbold in the BBC sitcom Are You Being Served? has died aged 81.

His agent released a statement saying the actor had died in hospital - where he had been for the past seven weeks following a fall at his home.

He was the last surviving original cast member of the show which ran from 1972 to 1985.

The show - set in a fictional London department store - often attracted audiences of more than 20 million and was know for its sexual inneundo and double entrendre.

It also starred John Inman, Molly Sugden, Frank Thornton and Wendy Richard.

Mr Smith was born in Surrey in 1934 and went onto to be trained as an actor at Rada before appearing in the West End.

Nicholas Smith (far right) with the original cast of Are You Being Served (PA/BBC)

His first television speaking role was an 1964 episode of Doctor Who.

Later in his career he played eccentric vicar Clement Hedges in the Wallace & Gromit film The Curse of the Were-Rabbit in 2005 and appeared in the children's television show M.I.High as Professor Quakermass in 2010.