Summer Wine star Brian Wilde dies

Brian Wilde first appeared in Last of the Summer Wine in 1976
Last of the Summer Wine and Porridge actor Brian Wilde has died aged 80.

Wilde played Foggy in the long-running comedy series Last of The Summer Wine and Barraclough in prison sitcom Porridge, alongside Ronnie Barker.

Wilde died in his sleep on Thursday. Last of the Summer Wine creator Roy Clarke said he was "a wonderful actor".

His agent Nick Young said: "He will be sadly missed by colleagues and family alike. He brought a great deal of

laughter into many people's lives."

"He was great fun to be with and to work with so I'm very, very sorry to hear the news"
Peter Sallis
Norman Clegg in Last of the Summer Wine

Sallis' tribute to his co-star

Wilde's son Andrew told the Press Association news agency his father suffered a fall about seven weeks ago and had not recovered.

Wilde's Last of the Summer Wine co-star Peter Sallis led the tributes, saying: "He was great fun to be with and to work with, so I'm very, very sorry to hear the news."

Wilde, who was born in Lancashire in June 1927, had minor roles in films such as The Jokers (1967) and Carry On Doctor (1968) before taking on the role of ineffectual prison officer Mr Barraclough in Porridge in 1973.

He also appeared in 1970s children's series The Ghosts of Motley Hall and 1980s TV comedy Kit Curran.

Wilde joined Last of the Summer Wine as the pompous ex-army corporal Walter "Foggy" Dewhurst for its third series in 1976.

He left in 1985, but rejoined in 1990 and remained until 1997.

Mr Clarke said: "He was one of my favourite actors. He was absolutely impeccable with every line.

"You could give him all sorts of convoluted speech and he never made a fluff. A wonderful actor and a very nice man."

"He was the most loved of all the characters"
Alan JW Bell
Last of the Summer Wine producer

The show's producer Alan JW Bell told the BBC: "He was perhaps the best of the Summer Wine 'third men' - he was the most loved of all the characters.

"He was a fine actor to work with, very professional. He was an old school actor - you turned up, knew your lines and played them the very best you could.

"He had an enormous warmth to the public when he was off the set.

"He didn't like to hob-nob with the actors - when there was a break, he preferred to go a pub around the corner to meet the real people."

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