Comedian, actor and music hall historian Roy Hudd has been remembered as “much loved and amazingly talented” after his death at the age of 83.
The veteran entertainer hosted BBC Radio 2 sketch show The News Huddlines from 1975 until 2001 and also starred in Broadchurch and as Archie Shuttleworth in Coronation Street.
Hudd’s TV career began in 1964 with satirical series That Was The Week That Was after a stint as a Butlin’s Redcoat in Clacton alongside Sir Cliff Richard.
He went on to perform in variety shows in London and became a huge fan of music hall, later writing books on the subject.
A statement from his agent said: “We are sad to announce the passing of the much-loved and amazingly talented Roy Hudd OBE.
“After a short illness, Roy passed away peacefully on the afternoon of Sunday the 15th of March, with his wife Debbie at his side.
“The family would ask you to respect their privacy at this very sad time.”
Born in Croydon in 1936, he worked in telephone exchanges for the RAF.
His interest in entertaining was sparked when he went to live with his grandmother who regularly took him to Croydon’s Empire Theatre.
Hudd made his professional debut as a comedian in 1957 at the Streatham Hill Theatre, where he was billed as The Peculiar Person.
Across a varied career, he appeared in Call The Midwife, Midsomer Murders and Holby City, as well as Dennis Potter’s Lipstick On Your Collar, and Karaoke.
Other projects include acclaimed comedy-drama Common As Muck and David Jason’s The Quest.
His passion for music hall meant that alongside writing books, he also re-recorded and restored old music hall records, and appeared in a revival show called The Good Old Days.
He was the longstanding president of the British Music Hall Society, and chose the genre as his specialist subject when he appeared on Celebrity Mastermind in 2014.
He was awarded an OBE for services to entertainment in the 2004 New Year Honours List.
Last year he showed off an 8st weight loss after getting gastric band surgery.
Hudd met his second wife Debbie Flitcroft while they were working together in pantomime in Nottingham.
He has a son, Max, from a previous marriage to Ann Lambert.
