Acting legend and EastEnders star Timothy West has died at the age of 90.
The actor, who played Mick Carter’s (Danny Dyer) grandfather Stan in the soap, died peacefully ‘with his friends and family at the end’.
A statement released by his family read:
‘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, 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. Juliet, Samuel and Joseph West.’
Born on October 20, 1934, Timothy appeared often on television and the stage. As well as his role in EastEnders, he also played a character called Eric Babbage in Coronation Street.
From 2014-2019, Timothy and partner Prunella Scales travelled around the UK and overseas together in the Channel 4 show Great Canal Journeys.
Tributes are pouring in following the news of Timothy’s death. Actress Tracie Bennett, a Coronation Street star, wrote on X: ’Oh I’m so sorry about this. Loved Timothy since we met at Granada tv in the early 80’s. R.I.P Timothy West’, while fellow actor James Dreyfus said: ‘Marvellous actor. A constant in many of our lives. He shall be much missed. My thoughts with his family. RIP Timothy West.’
On Instagram, Danny Dyer commented on the tribute posted by the EastEnders account and said: ‘Can’t believe it’. Sam Strike, who previously played Johnny Carter, wrote on his Instagram Stories: ‘Gutted to learn of Timothy West’s passing. I remember thinking when he first showed up on set – this man is old school brilliance’.
Timothy was introduced as Stan Carter, the father of established characters Shirley (Linda Henry) and Tina Carter (Luisa Bradshaw-White) in 2014.
Mick had visited him in desperate need of cash, and he later moved into The Queen Vic pub with his family.
The character was entwined in a love triangle with estranged wife Sylvie (Linda Marlowe) and Walford local Cora Cross (Ann Mitchell).
Stan was killed off the BBC soap in April 2015 after a battle with terminal prostate cancer.
He will make a posthumous appearance in the penultimate episode of daytime medical drama Doctors, which airs this afternoon on BBC One, as Artie Simkins – the neighbour of a patient who takes a fall in their garden.
