Doctor Who star Bernard Cribbins has very sadly passed away, aged 93, his family have confirmed. The acting legend starred in shows and films including Carry On, The Railway Children and more recently as Wilf in Doctor Who.
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His agent released a statement which read: “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.”
WATCH: Bernard Cribbins has died aged 93
The star’s fans and colleagues have flooded social media to pay tribute to him, with Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies writing a beautiful tribute that read: “I love this man. I love him. That’s him as Snout in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. D’you fancy doing some Shakespeare, Bernard? ‘Let me see the script.’ He knew everyone!
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“He’d talk about the Beatles and David Niven, and how he once sat on the stairs at a party impersonating bird calls with T H White. Then he’d add, ‘I said to Ashley Banjo last week…’ He loved being in Doctor Who. He said, ‘Children are calling me grandad in the street!’ His first day was on location with Kylie Minogue, but all eyes, even Kylie’s, were on Bernard. He’d turned up with a suitcase full of props, just in case, including a rubber chicken. And what an actor. Oh, really though, what a wonderful actor.
Bernard's wife passed away in 2021 - they had been married for 66 years
“We once took him to the TV Choice Awards and sent him up on his own to collect the award, and the entire room stood up and cheered him. That’s a lovely memory. He’d phone up and say, ‘I’ve got an idea! What if I attack a Dalek with a paintball gun?!’ Okay, Bernard, in it went! He loved Gill with all his heart; he mentioned her in every conversation we ever had. A love story for the ages. I’m so lucky to have known him. Thanks for everything, my old soldier. A legend has left the world.”
His fans also paid tribute, with one tweeting: “Awfully sad news this morning. Bernard Cribbins will always be Wilf to me and I will forever love the magic he brought to #DoctorWho. RIP,” while another person added: “Surely. SURELY we can all agree that Bernard Cribbins was the best. He just was.”
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