Who was Timothy West? Acclaimed stage and screen actor dies aged 90

Actor Timothy West’s family announced he had died peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday night (12 November).

The British actor starred in a wide range of roles across a 60-year acting career but was well-known for long stints in soaps Coronation Street and EastEnders, as well as many other roles on stage and screen.

West was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, in October 1934 and had one younger sister five years his junior. His father, Lockwood West, was also an actor.

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He was married to Prunella Scales, who was best known for her performance as Sybil in Fawlty Towers, for 61 years. They appeared together in the Great Canal Journeys series spanning over five years from 2014.

After starting his career on stage in 1959, West got his big break in television with a role in 'Edward the Seventh' in 1975. He went on to appear in 'Brass’, 'King Lear' and 'Bedtime', and became known for countless roles on the stage and screen.

In 2007, he joined 'Not Going Out' as Geoffrey Adams, taking on the role in two further episodes on the sitcom's third series before being replaced by Geoffrey Whitehead.

In 2013, he appeared in 'Coronation Street' as Eric Babbage, and joined 'EastEnders' later that year. He made his first appearance on Albert Square as Stan Carter in January the following year, and filmed his final season in February 2015.

He has acted in films such as Commissioner Berthier in The Day Of The Jackal (1973), King Francis in From Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998), and Nazi physician and war criminal Karl Gebhardt in Hitler: The Last Ten Days (1973).

On stage, he was a regular performer of Shakespeare, playing Lear in 2016 and 2002.

In 1984, West was appointed CBE for his services to drama in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

West attended the John Lyon School and Bristol Grammar School, and worked as an office furniture salesman and a recording technician before becoming an assistant stage manager at Wimbledon Theatre in 1956.

He has continued to act in recent years, playing Jeremy Lister in 'Gentleman Jack' between 2019 and 2022, and took on the role of Private Godfrey in 'Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes'. His final television acting credit came last year as Charles Usher in an episode of 'Sister Boniface Mysteries'.

Announcing West’s passing, his children Juliet, Samuel and Joseph West said in a statement issued by his agent: "After a long and extraordinary life on and off the stage, our darling father Timothy West died peacefully in his sleep yesterday evening. He was 90 years old.

"Tim was with friends and family at the end. He leaves his wife Prunella Scales, to whom he was married for 61 years, a sister, a daughter, two sons, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. All of us will miss him terribly.

"We would like to thank the incredible NHS staff at St George’s Hospital, Tooting and at Avery Wandsworth for their loving care during his last days."