Vale: Bernard Cribbins

Veteran British character actor Bernard Cribbins, best known for Doctor Who and The Wombles, has died aged 93.

Cribbins’ agent said: “He worked well into his 90s, recently appearing in Doctor Who and the CBeebies series Old Jack’s Boat.

“He lost his wife of 66 years, Gill, last year. Bernard’s contribution to British entertainment is without question. He was unique, typifying the best of his generation, and will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing and working with him.”

During a career that spanned seven decades, Cribbins played the Doctor’s companion Tom Campbell in the 1966 film Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 AD returning 41 years later in the revived Doctor Who.

He returned to the show as Wilfred Mott, the grandad of Catherine Tate’s character Donna.

He also narrated the 1970s children’s programme The Wombles and played the station porter Albert Perks in 1970 film The Railway Children.

Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies led the tributes, posting a picture of him on set, while saying: “I’m so lucky to have known him. Thanks for everything, my old soldier. A legend has left the world.”

Actor and writer Mark Gatiss said: “There was no one quite like Cribbins”.

“A gifted comic actor with an incredible seam of pathos and real heart. From Sellers to Star Turn, Wombles to Wilf,” he continued. “I once gushed to him about his lovely performance in Hammer’s ‘She’. That afternoon he was off to play five aside – aged almost 90.”

Comedian and actor Matt Lucas, who also featured in Doctor Who, called Cribbins a “brilliantly talented man”.

Source: BBC