Comedian and actor Roy Hudd has died at the age of 83, his agent has announced this morning.
He made his professional debut as a comedian in 1957 and had a long career in radio and television, including a stint as Archie Shuttleworth in Coronation Street.
A statement from his agent said: "We are sad to announce the passing of the much-loved and amazingly talented Roy Hudd OBE.
"After a short illness, Roy passed away peacefully on the afternoon of Sunday the 15th of March, with his wife Debbie at his side.
"The family would ask you to respect their privacy at this very sad time."
He started in television in the mid-1960s in sketch series The Illustrated Weekly Hudd and The Roy Hudd Show.
His acting roles included the Dennis Potter series Lipstick on Your Collar and Karaoke.
In 1958, he joined the Redcoats at Butlin's Clacton and worked alongside Sir Cliff Richard and Dave Allen.
Across a varied career he appeared in Call The Midwife, Midsomer Murders and Holby City.
In 2017 he appeared in ITV's Broadchurch and in 2019 made an appearance as a patient in the BBC's Casualty.
Hudd wrote several books on music hall, re-recorded and restored old music hall records, and appeared in a revival show called The Good Old Days.
He was the longstanding president of the British Music Hall Society, and chose the genre as his specialist subject when he appeared on Celebrity Mastermind in 2014.
Actor Mark Gatiss tweeted: "Farewell to the wonderful Roy Hudd. A great comic and actor. One of those joyous people who feel like they've been with us forever.
"He was in a 'Randall & Hopkirk' I wrote with (Jeremy Dyson) and improvised the band's sign off as 'Jock Strap and his Two Swingers there!' RIP Maestro."
