Carry On actor David Kernan has died aged 85.
The star was known for cult classic Carry On Abroad, as well as Zulu and That Was The Week That Was.
His representatives announced the sad news on X on Boxing Day.
They wrote, on his account run by staff: ‘It is with the heaviest of hearts to announce that dear David has passed away peacefully.
‘In this time of such sadness, we shall think of the wonderful man he was, and the truly fantastic career that he had on stage, and on screen.’
They finished by writing: ‘God Bless.’
Kernan was also celebrated for interpreting the songs of Stephen Sondheim, and the Stephen Sondheim Society shared their grief at his passing.
‘David played a key role in popularising the work of Stephen Sondheim in the UK (and beyond), thanks primarily to the revue show Side by Side by Sondheim,’ the society wrote in a statement.
Former Chair of the club, Mandy Dixon, said he was ‘a lovely, witty man,’ paying tribute to how he ‘raised huge sums of money for Aids charities by putting on one-night musical theatre reviews, at a time when this was not a popular cause.’
On Facebook, Paul Monaghan who acted alongside the star in Aspects Of Love, said he was ‘deeply saddened’ to learn of his death.
‘He was a beautiful man. I shared the stage with him in Aspects of Love. His George, definitive. I stood, nightly, in the wings as he performed “Other Pleasures”. It was a masterclass, he was my friend. RIP Daddy.’
Actress Tracy Wiles shared old photos of the pair an said she ‘loved working with him,’ calling her role in Side by Side by Sondheim ‘one of my most happy jobs.’
‘Great memories. Condolences to family and friends.’
As well as Carry On and his Stephen Sondheim work, Kernan was a theatre actor nominated for a Tony Award.
He also appeared in TV shows including Upstairs, Downstairs, The Avengers and She Loves Me.
This is a breaking news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.
, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our page – we’d love to hear from you.
For more stories like this, check our page.
Follow Metro.co.uk Entertainment on and for the latest celeb and entertainment updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts .
