British TV icons of the '70s – where are they now?

Prunella Scales is known and loved for portraying Sybil Fawlty – aka Basil’s long-suffering wife in Fawlty Towers. Following the show’s conclusion in 1979, the actress went on to appear in films, including The Wicked Lady (1983), The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1987) and Howards End (1992).

As for her TV credits, Prunella landed roles in episodes of Midsomer Murders (2000) and Silent Witness (2001), before re-inhabiting Sybil Fawlty for a 2007 Children in Need special. 

As of 2024, Prunella has been married to fellow actor Timothy West for 61 years, and together they share two sons, including Samuel West, who currently stars as Siegfried Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small. 

Prunella, 92, was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2014 and has spoken openly about adjusting to life with the condition. 

Robin Ellis is recognised for his iconic portrayal of Captain Ross Poldark in the BBC's 1975 adaptation of Winston Graham's Poldark series. A mainstay in British period dramas, he continued to act in The Curse of King Tut's Tomb (1980), and A Dark-Adapted Eye (1994) while treading the boards in theatre productions. 

To the delight of viewers, Robin starred as Reverend Halse in the 2015-2019 adaptation of Poldark, which like its predecessor, aired on the BBC. 

Now 82, the TV favourite resides in Southwestern France with his wife, Meredith Wheeler. 

Penelope Keith is a living legend! Revered as a comedy great, the 84-year-old made her mark in British sitcoms The Good Life (1975-78) and To the Manor Born (1979-81). 

Among her ever-impressive portfolio, throughout the early 2000s, Penelope appeared in several theatre productions, and in 2009 she was featured in a one-off documentary for BBC Four, titled Penelope Keith and the Fast Lady. 

Penelope graced our screens again in 2018 when she presented Village of the Year with Penelope Keith for Channel 4. On a personal note, the actress is based in Surrey with her husband, Rodney Timson. They are proud parents to two children. 

Felicity Kendal shot to fame as Barbara Good in The Good Life. While she is typically associated with television, the 78-year-old focused on her burgeoning stage career in the 1980s and 1990s, starring in many of her first husband, Tom Stoppard's plays. 

Among her latest on-screen roles, Felicity has featured in episodes of Inside No.9 (2017), Pennyworth (2019) and Ludwig (2024). 

Speaking candidly, the 78-year-old has opened up about losing her beloved husband, Michael Rudman, with whom she shares a son – Jacob, 37. "I think it's very important to let go and not be maudlin. That's totally my own personal way: to get on and try to live in as positive a way as I can, even though it may be difficult," she told Saga. 

"But when I'm faced with a decision about something now, I still ask Michael what I should do; that's not being spooky, that's just going into the many memories that will give me the answer to what he would say because I knew him so well."

Patricia Routledge was a regular on our screens throughout the '70s, appearing in episodes of Steptoe and Son (1974), David Copperfield (1974) and Nicholas Nickleby (1977). 

In the years that followed, she landed her best-known role to date, playing Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances, which aired between 1990 and 1995. More recently, Patricia, 95, took part in a documentary titled Dame Patricia Routledge...Remembers Keeping Up Appearances (2024). She resides in Chichester. 

Richard O'Sullivan scored two hits with the sitcoms Man About the House (1973–1976) and Robin's Nest (1977–1981). He's shot to further recognition after landing the title role of Dick Turpin (1979–1982) in the historical drama series. 

Richard, now 80, stepped away from the spotlight in 1996. He suffered a stroke in 2003 and has since moved to Brinsworth House in Twickenham which is managed by the Royal Variety Charity and exclusively for ex-entertainers.

John Cleese has an extensive list of credits, but he's perhaps best recognised for the Monty Python films, as well as Fawlty Towers (1975-79). 

Boasting a decade-spanning premiere, John has also starred in A Fish Called Wanda (1988), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) and the Shrek and Harry Potter franchises. As of 2024, John has adapted Fawlty Towers for London's West End. 

John, 84, is married to jewellery designer, Jennifer Wade. He is a proud father to two daughters – Cynthia and Camilla Cleese.