Carry On star Leslie Phillips dies aged 98

00:47

Harry Potter and Carry On star Leslie Phillips dies aged 98

Carry On and Harry Potter star Leslie Phillips has died aged 98.

The actor – known for lending his voice to the Sorting Hat in JK Rowling’s famous franchise – passed away on Monday (7 November).

Phillips had been struggling with illness for some time and previously survived two strokes.

“I’ve lost a wonderful husband and the public has lost a truly great showman,” his wife Zara Carr, 63, said in a statement.

“He was quite simply a national treasure. People loved him. He was mobbed everywhere he went.”

Click here to sign up for our newsletters.

Up next

Peter Kay tells BBC’s Zoe Ball off for being ‘too politically correct’

00:34

Peter Kay tells BBC’s Zoe Ball off for being ‘too politically correct’

I’m A Celeb’s Tulisa shares how ‘life fell apart’ after drug sting

00:59

I’m A Celeb’s Tulisa shares how ‘life fell apart’ after drug sting

Watch: John Prescott makes cameo appearance in Gavin and Stacey

00:39

Watch: John Prescott makes cameo appearance in Gavin and Stacey

Tulisa’s best friend makes plea over I’m A Celeb star’s health battle

00:51

Tulisa’s best friend makes plea over I’m A Celeb star’s health battle

Editor’s Picks

The A-Word | An Independent TV Documentary

44:07

The A-Word | An Independent TV Documentary

The full interview: William Hague in conversation with Geordie Greig

32:58

The full interview: William Hague in conversation with Geordie Greig

How a survivor became CEO of a domestic abuse charity

04:24

How a survivor became CEO of a domestic abuse charity

When Halle Berry wore the perfect dress for the perfect moment

01:41

When Halle Berry wore the perfect dress for the perfect moment

More Editor’s Picks

Travel Smart

Discovering the secrets of Jordan with our TravelSmart guide

06:10

Discovering the secrets of Jordan with our TravelSmart guide

TravelSmart’s guide to the Caribbean islands

06:10

TravelSmart’s guide to the Caribbean islands

Why North Africa is our destination top pick for 2024/25

04:42

Why North Africa is our destination top pick for 2024/25

City breaks that won’t break the bank

05:33

City breaks that won’t break the bank

More Travel Smart

That Dress

How Jennifer Lopez inspired Google Images

01:32

How Jennifer Lopez inspired Google Images

How Diana’s revenge dress signalled a turning point in her life

02:06

How Diana’s revenge dress signalled a turning point in her life

How Geri Halliwell’s Union Jack dress was the look of Cool Britannia

01:49

How Geri Halliwell’s Union Jack dress was the look of Cool Britannia

The story of Kate Moss’s sheer dress | That Dress

01:31

The story of Kate Moss’s sheer dress | That Dress

More That Dress

Binge Watch

Himesh Patel rolls with the laughs on HBO’s The Franchise

16:55

Himesh Patel rolls with the laughs on HBO’s The Franchise

The Apprentice star and director on Trump’s criticism to film

06:12

The Apprentice star and director on Trump’s criticism to film

Jared Harris talks new film Reawakening and homage to Richard Harris

13:22

Jared Harris talks new film Reawakening and homage to Richard Harris

Justin Theroux on the legacy of The Leftovers

04:26

Justin Theroux on the legacy of The Leftovers

More Binge Watch

Music Box

Lemoncello perform ‘Old Friend’ in Music Box session

05:49

Lemoncello perform ‘Old Friend’ in Music Box session

Lemoncello perform ‘Sunflower’ in Music Box session

05:45

Lemoncello perform ‘Sunflower’ in Music Box session

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Wishes’ for Music Box session

04:13

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Wishes’ for Music Box session

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Mudroom’ in Music Box session

03:58

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Mudroom’ in Music Box session

On The Ground

Searching for the ‘Whitby Woman’

03:51

Searching for the ‘Whitby Woman’

On the campaign trail with Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg

04:18

On the campaign trail with Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg

Life at 50C: Delhi’s streets struggling to cope with heatwave

06:26

Life at 50C: Delhi’s streets struggling to cope with heatwave

Indian farmers use election to make voices heard against Narendra Modi

04:30

Indian farmers use election to make voices heard against Narendra Modi

More On The Ground

Behind The Headlines

What would a President Trump 2.0 look like?

10:42

What would a President Trump 2.0 look like?

When will the Cost of Living Crisis end?

06:27

When will the Cost of Living Crisis end?

How airlines greenwash the skies

07:23

How airlines greenwash the skies

Is it time to panic over AI? | Behind The Headlines

06:35

Is it time to panic over AI? | Behind The Headlines

More Behind The Headlines

Decomplicated

What is tactical voting - and why could it be a powerful tool?

07:25

What is tactical voting - and why could it be a powerful tool?

Are ultra-processed foods bad for you?

04:31

Are ultra-processed foods bad for you?

Why are UK councils going bankrupt?

07:30

Why are UK councils going bankrupt?

What causes the winter flu and how does it differ from other types?

03:34

What causes the winter flu and how does it differ from other types?

More Decomplicated

News

British general: ‘If Russians invaded Europe tonight, we would fight’

00:25

British general: ‘If Russians invaded Europe tonight, we would fight’

Gordon Brown reveals final conversation with John Prescott

01:05

Gordon Brown reveals final conversation with John Prescott

Watch: Tony Blair chokes up in emotional tribute to John Prescott

01:03

Watch: Tony Blair chokes up in emotional tribute to John Prescott

Trump’s border czar pick Tom Homan tears up during live TV interview

01:38

Trump’s border czar pick Tom Homan tears up during live TV interview

Sport

Watch: 100-year-old Colorado Buffaloes superfan serenaded on pitch

00:44

Watch: 100-year-old Colorado Buffaloes superfan serenaded on pitch

Watch: Tommy Fury and Darren Till press conference descends into brawl

00:47

Watch: Tommy Fury and Darren Till press conference descends into brawl

Taylor Knibb tells T100 crew not to film her running in triathlon

00:21

Taylor Knibb tells T100 crew not to film her running in triathlon

Trump fist pumps UFC crowd as president-elect joined by Elon Musk

00:47

Trump fist pumps UFC crowd as president-elect joined by Elon Musk

Climate

Surfers ride powerful 13ft waves amid weather warning

00:49

Surfers ride powerful 13ft waves amid weather warning

Floodwaters rage across Yelville as residents evacuated from homes

00:33

Floodwaters rage across Yelville as residents evacuated from homes

Greece shuts down Acropolis as temperatures hit almost 40 degrees

01:00

Greece shuts down Acropolis as temperatures hit almost 40 degrees

Eerie tornado sirens ring through downtown Chicago

00:31

Eerie tornado sirens ring through downtown Chicago

Lifestyle

RFK Jr. shares rare glimpse of family life in new video with grandkids

00:52

RFK Jr. shares rare glimpse of family life in new video with grandkids

I’m A Celebrity’s Tulisa reveals she’s been celibate for three years

01:06

I’m A Celebrity’s Tulisa reveals she’s been celibate for three years

Davina McCall in tears as she talks about ‘courage’ before surgery

01:41

Davina McCall in tears as she talks about ‘courage’ before surgery

Prince Harry gets ‘neck tattoo’ with Jelly Roll for Invictus sketch

01:20

Prince Harry gets ‘neck tattoo’ with Jelly Roll for Invictus sketch

Will Bayley's Electric Road Trip

Paralympian Will Bayley puts his “Range Anxiety” to the test

03:29

Paralympian Will Bayley puts his “Range Anxiety” to the test

The feel-good perks of living the Electric Vehicle lifestyle

03:07

The feel-good perks of living the Electric Vehicle lifestyle

Paralympian Will Bayley checks the performance of electric vehicles

03:07

Paralympian Will Bayley checks the performance of electric vehicles

To EV or not to EV? Paralympian Will Bayley considers electric cars

03:24

To EV or not to EV? Paralympian Will Bayley considers electric cars

Saudi Cup

Saudi Cup: ‘A true display of horsemanship’, says Prince Bandar

01:36

Saudi Cup: ‘A true display of horsemanship’, says Prince Bandar

Princess Nourah praises young fashion designers on show at Saudi Cup

00:42

Princess Nourah praises young fashion designers on show at Saudi Cup

Andrew Strauss says Saudi is an eye opener

01:26

Andrew Strauss says Saudi is an eye opener

Saudi Arabia is ‘pushing limits’ of fashion creativity

00:32

Saudi Arabia is ‘pushing limits’ of fashion creativity

Galaxy The Ripple Effect

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on the imposter syndrome epidemic

04:23

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on the imposter syndrome epidemic

Finance coach Ellie Austin-Williams on the psychology of money

04:26

Finance coach Ellie Austin-Williams on the psychology of money

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on how to tackle imposter syndrome

01:01

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on how to tackle imposter syndrome

Simple ways to boost your money situation with Ellie Austin-Williams

01:07

Simple ways to boost your money situation with Ellie Austin-Williams

Big In America

Can Willsow’s children’s books pique the interest of the US market?

15:55

Can Willsow’s children’s books pique the interest of the US market?

Will the founders of Spice Kitchen be able to find US retailers?

16:33

Will the founders of Spice Kitchen be able to find US retailers?

Co-founders of See.Sense bring their cycle safe tech to New York City

16:06

Co-founders of See.Sense bring their cycle safe tech to New York City

Collctiv fintech founder Amy Whitell tries to crack the US tech market

15:01

Collctiv fintech founder Amy Whitell tries to crack the US tech market

More Big In America

Saudi Green Initiative

Saudi government doesn’t ‘pay lip service’ on climate action

01:16

Saudi government doesn’t ‘pay lip service’ on climate action

SGI ‘seems like a nest of harmony’, journalist says

00:36

SGI ‘seems like a nest of harmony’, journalist says

SGI ambitions are ‘extremely high’, says Saudi climate envoy

00:48

SGI ambitions are ‘extremely high’, says Saudi climate envoy

Saudi Green Initiative aims to ‘not just preserve, but create’

01:08

Saudi Green Initiative aims to ‘not just preserve, but create’

More Saudi Green Initiative

AlUla

Gérard Mestrallet on the challenges of bringing infrastructure to the region of AlUla

01:51

Gérard Mestrallet on the challenges of bringing infrastructure to the region of AlUla

Sir George Iacobescu, chairman of the Canary Wharf Group on the investment into the historic region of AlUla

02:07

Sir George Iacobescu, chairman of the Canary Wharf Group on the investment into the historic region of AlUla

Oliver Ripley of sustainable hotel group Habitas talks about how AlUla challenged his preconceptions of Saudi Arabia

02:00

Oliver Ripley of sustainable hotel group Habitas talks about how AlUla challenged his preconceptions of Saudi Arabia

Thomas Kaplan of wild cat conservation charity Panthera on the mission to save the Arabian Leopard

02:09

Thomas Kaplan of wild cat conservation charity Panthera on the mission to save the Arabian Leopard