Heartbeat actor Bill Maynard dies at 89

[dutchman]

Heartbeat actor Bill Maynard has died at the age of 89 after a career spanning eight decades



Daughter-in-law Jacqueline Reddin said he died in hospital in Leicestershire, shortly after breaking his hip in a fall from a mobility scooter.

"He was larger than life and he just loved showbiz," she said. "He was so proud of the fact that he had been working for 81 years."

He was perhaps best known as Claude Jeremiah Greengrass in Heartbeat.

Maynard - whose real name was Walter Williams - starred as the scruffy, eccentric poacher in the police drama for eight years, from 1992 to 2000, and was in its spin-off The Royal until 2003.

Other roles included Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt!, The Gaffer and In Sickness and In Health. He also made appearances in Carry On films Carry On At Your Convenience, Carry On Matron and Carry On Dick, and was Sergeant Beetroot in TV series Worzel Gummidge in 1980.

Maynard's most recent role was a brief appearance in 2017 drama The Moorside, about the disappearance of Shannon Matthews.

Maynard's daughter-in-law said he had recently filmed an episode of BBC One quiz show Pointless, which was yet to air.

He leaves a daughter and a son, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

[rebbonk]

R.I.P.

[Melisandre]

R.I.P