Coronation Street has paid tribute to actor Neville Buswell, saying it was "saddened" to hear of his death.
The former star of the soap died on Christmas Day 2019 at the age of 76. The cause of death is not known.
Buswell, who played Ray Langton in Weatherfield for 10 years, is thought to have died in Las Vegas, where he lived.
A spokesman for the ITV soap said: "We are saddened to hear of the death of Neville Buswell.
"His portrayal of Deirdre's first husband Ray Langton in the 1970s made him a part of Coronation Street history.
"We were delighted when he returned to the role in 1997 for a special DVD set in Vegas and again back in 2005 when Ray turned up on the cobbles to visit Deirdre and his daughter Tracy.
"We would like to extend our sympathies to his family and friends at this sad time."
Buswell was first seen in Corrie in 1966 and began a 10-year run on the soap from 1968.
He moved to the US with his family after leaving the programme and they settled in Las Vegas.
