Kenneth Cope, the Carry On and Coronation Street actor, has died at the age of 93, his former agent has said.
He made his name as ghost detective Marty Hopkirk in the ITV supernatural detective series Randall And Hopkirk (Deceased).
It saw him solve crimes from beyond the grave, while visible only to his partner Jeff Randall, after being murdered during an investigation in the first episode.
Sandra Chalmers, of The Artists Partnership, confirmed that Mr Cope had died surrounded by his family on Wednesday. She shared a statement from the family, which read: “Ken passed away yesterday, peacefully in his sleep, with his wife and family by his side.”
The family described him as “an incredible icon of British TV and film”, with a career spanning six decades that “contributed to some of the most iconic moments in British culture”, and hailed him as “a natural comedy actor”.
Their statement added: “He began his career in theatre, quickly picking up many film and TV roles. He was a natural comedy actor and was a main contributor to the comedy series That Was The Week That Was and swiftly became a regular figure across the acting industry.
“We are deeply saddened by his passing, and ask that his family are given privacy at this time.”