Ian Lavender, who first starred in Dad's Army aged just 22 and went on to appear in BBC One soap EastEnders, has died at the age of 77
Dad's Army star Ian Lavender has sadly died at the age of 77.
Ian's death was announced in by Dad's Army's social media account on Monday afternoon. The post read: "We are deeply saddened to hear the passing of the wonderful, Ian Lavender. In what truly marks the end of an era, Ian was the last surviving member of the Dad’s Army main cast.
"His wonderful performance as Private Frank Pike will live on for decades to come. He leaves behind a legacy of laughter enjoyed by millions. We will dedicate this year’s tour to his memory. Our thoughts and love are with Ian’s wonderful wife Miki, their family and close friends."
Ian was the last remaining star of Dad's Army who was still alive 40 years since the last episode of the nation’s most beloved sitcoms ended. Ian played Private Frank Pike when the show launched in 1968.
In the 1970s, Dad’s Army regularly attracted more than 18 million viewers, becoming one of the most-watched television programmes of its time.
Royal Mail marked the 50th anniversary of the TV comedy classic Dad’s Army with a collection of stamps in 2018, featuring the main characters. That same year, Lavender cleared up a long-standing mystery from the show during an interview with the Radio Times.
When asking creator David Croft if Uncle Arthur was Pike’s father, Lavender said: “He looked at me and said, ‘Of course he is!
The actor, from Birmingham, was only 22 when he first appeared in Dad’s Army. He went on to have a successful acting career, with many fans knowing him from his time in EastEnders. Ian joined the BBC One soap in 2001 as Derek Harkinson, a gay friend of Pauline Fowler.
The actor appeared in more than 200 episodes and then later returned as a guest to Albert Square in 2016. Ian appeared in his last episode in 2017, before it was announced he would not be returning to the show. It would be the last time Ian ever made a TV appearance.
Born and raised in Birmingham, Ian spent his time in local theatre groups. He enrolled at the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, in which alumni include Olivia Colman, Jeremy Irons, Josh O'Connor and Daniel Day-Lewis.
Tributes have flooded in for the much-loved TV star following the sad announcement of his death. "So saddened to hear this. Ian was such an amazing talent," gushed one.
"Wow sad to hear this. What a loss to the acting world. His face always brightened up my days when he appeared on my TV screen," someone else added. "Rest in peace Ian. What a great man all round," another echoed.
Years before his death, Ian had suffered ill health. He was previously married to fellow actor Sue Kerchiss from 1967 until their divorce in 1973. In 1993, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer - six days before marrying his second wife, American-born Miki Hardy.
On his diagnosis, Ian said in an interview that year: "We had been living together for 16 years and it was something I should have done a long time before, these things change you, they help you to see what is important in life."
The tumour was successfully removed, but Ian then suffered a heart attack nine years later. He suffered the heart attack in the middle of reading an EastEnders script and was rushed to hospital.
"I just knew there was something very, very wrong. All I can say is I have never felt so dreadfully ill, and all in a few seconds," he previously told. The actor spoke about the lessons he learned after suffering ill health and how his perspective on life changed.
"Look after yourselves, eat healthily and don't take any risks," he previously told the Belfast Telegraph. "Spread the word, someone you know might have this symptom and reminding them to get it checked could save their life - it saved mine, and I'm 70 and still happy to be working."
Ian previously told The Mirror how the show’s cast grew so close they would share secrets. Last year, Ian, who was at the time the last living cast member, said they would meet for dinner and were shocked when the Home Guard sitcom became a hit.
The show ran from 1968 to 1977 and repeats remain popular today. Ian said: “It was great fun. It was 10 weeks a year with wonderful people, all of whom became great friends. John Laurie (who played Private James Frazer) became a sort of grandfather figure. I adored him.
“I talked with John for so many hours. He said, ‘There are things I’ve told you I’ve never told my wife, or my daughter. You must promise me you must never tell anybody yourself’.”
Ian said many of the cast had been struggling actors and the show “didn’t get very good press” at first, although a second series was commissioned. He explained: “It was supposed to go out on BBC Two, but they decided to put it on BBC One. But none of us thought there was 10 years in it.
“When we were away filming, [co-writer] David Croft had a house and in the middle weekend there would be a dinner for what he called The Magnificent Seven, or the 10, as we became with vicar, verger, and air-raid warden.
“One night, John Laurie had the room. We were talking about how this [Dad’s Army] shouldn’t have been a success, nobody liked it. John said, ‘It is quite amazing that this should’ve been a success. Just look at us.’”
Ian said Arthur Lowe’s character Captain Mainwaring “carried” the show, with the pair famous for Mainwaring’s “don’t tell him, Pike” scene.
Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/breaking-dads-army-eastenders-star-32050165
