Minder star George Cole revealed that he hated the character Arthur Daley who made him famous in the 80s.
In his autobiography The World Was My Lobster, Cole wrote that he couldn’t understand the appeal of his dodgy, wheeler-dealer character.
“He was a dreadful character,” he wrote. “I don’t understand how he became so popular.
“It used to be worrying when I got letters from young kids saying Arthur Daley was just like their dad. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
Read more: George Cole dead live: Minder actor dies aged 90
“He behaved terribly to people who got in the way of him making a quick quid - and the audience still loved him.”
Cole’s agent, Derek Webster, confirmed the actor passed away in Royal Berkshire hospital after a short illness, surrounded by his family.
He played the iconic character in 11 series from 1979 to 1994.
His career spanned over seven decades, and included appearances in four of the St Trinian’s films in the 1950s and a role opposite Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in the 1963 film Cleopatra.
