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Timothy West death: EastEnders and Coronation Street stalwart dies, aged 90

West was a star of the stage and the screen and died in his sleep, his children have announced

Greg Evans
Wednesday 13 November 2024 11:51 GMT
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Timothy West in a production of ‘King Lear' at Bristol Old Vic in 2016
Timothy West in a production of ‘King Lear' at Bristol Old Vic in 2016 (Getty Images)

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The actor Timothy West, who was married to fellow star Prunella Scales for 61 years, has died aged 90, his family have confirmed.

In a statement, on behalf of his children, Juliet, Samuel and Joseph West and issued by his agent, they said: “After a long and extraordinary life on and off the stage, our darling father Timothy West died peacefully in his sleep yesterday evening. He was 90 years old.

“Tim was with friends and family at the end. He leaves his wife Prunella Scales, to whom he was married for 61 years, a sister, a daughter, two sons, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. All of us will miss him terribly.

“We would like to thank the incredible NHS staff at St George’s Hospital, Tooting and at Avery Wandsworth for their loving care during his last days.”

A frequent star of the stage having appeared in numerous productions of Macbeth, King Lear and The Master Builder, he’s perhaps best known to television audiences for his roles as Eric Babbage in Coronation Street, playing the character in 2013 and for Stan Carter, who he played in EastEnders between 2014 and 2015.

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

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 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.

In the world of film, West starred in Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), The Day of the Jackal (1973), Cry Freedom (1987) and Luc Besson’s 1999 historical epic The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc.

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West’s final acting credit was as Charles Usher in Sister Boniface Mysteries in 2023.

West and Scales, 92, who played Sybil Fawlty in the hit BBC sitcom, appeared in the documentary series Great Canal Journeys between 2014 and 2021, which saw them travelling on narrowboats together.

Timothy West and Prunella Scales in June 2017
Timothy West and Prunella Scales in June 2017 (Getty Images)

The couple married in 1963, and have two sons, actor Samuel West, and Joseph West.

West was also married to actor Jacqueline Boyer from 1956 to 1961, and they had a daughter, Juliet West.

Additional reporting by PA.

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