Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? star Brigit Forsyth dies aged 83

The ‘Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?’ star died ‘peacefully in her sleep surrounded by her family’

Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? star Brigit Forsyth dies age 83 (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Archive)

Brigit Forsyth, who starred in Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads?, has died at the age of 83.

She played Thelma Ferris, the fiancée and later wife of Rodney Bewes’ character Bob, in the much-loved BBC sitcom.

Forsyth died “peacefully in her sleep surrounded by her family” in the early hours of Friday morning, her agent Mark Pemberton confirmed.

“Brigit had a varied and notable career in stage, screen and radio. Best known for her roles in television as Thelma in Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads?, Francine Pratt in Playing The Field and Madge in Still Open All Hours,” a statement said.

“Brigit also played multiple roles in theatre from the West End to the National Theatres of England and Scotland, and the great reps of Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham, playing everything from the Queen in Single Spies, to Kate in All My Sons.

“She was in many radio plays on the BBC over the years and also featured in the Radio 4 sitcom Ed Reardon’s Week. A talented musician, Brigit played the cello, sang and composed, and in later years played with several bands including The Fircones.

“Brigit loved collaboration and helping to develop new works with actors, writers and directors, which eventually led her to form her own cross-disciplinary theatre company, Word Mills Productions in 2016.”

When Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? finished in 1974, Forsyth found herself in demand for roles in a number of television shows including Dr Who, Agatha Christie’s Poirot and Casualty. She also appeared in the film version of The Likely Lads in 1976, and landed another major role playing Helen Yeldham in the ITV drama Boon in 1986.

On the stage, she won plaudits for roles that showed her range and talent for accents, playing an American in The Glass Menagerie and a Polish doctor in a production at the National Theatre.

In 2000, she returned to screens as the social climbing snob Francine Pratt, who was married to businessman Jim Pratt (Royle Family star Ricky Tomlinson) in the BBC football drama Playing The Field.

She appeared in the Christmas special of Still Open All Hours in 2013 before joining the cast on a permanent basis as Madge, sister of Maggie Ollerenshaw's character Mavis. In 1975, Forsyth married Coronation Street director Brian Mills, who died in 2006.

Additional reporting by Press Association