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Emmerdale and The Archers star Eric Allan has died at the age of 85.
The actor has passed away after a 48-year career in television and radio where he played blacksmith Frank Blakey in the early days of the soap in 1972 – when it was still called Emmerdale Farm.
One of his most notable storylines was when he married Janie Harker (Diane Grayson) in the show’s first ever wedding. He then left the series in January 1974.
Frank played havoc in the village by opposing hunting, and he also refused to shoe any horses ridden in the local hunt.
He also played farmer Bert Fry on BBC Radio 4’s The Archers for 25 years.
Eric is survived by his wife Susan who he married in 1963 as well as their son and daughter.
The actor – who grew up in Yorkshire – was also known for starring in Bleak Moments and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
Emmerdale and The Archers star Eric Allan has died at the age of 85
The actor passed away after a 48-year career in television and radio where he played blacksmith Frank Blakey in the early days of the soap in 1972
After growing up in the north his family then moved to Canada before he returned to the UK at the age of 18 to study at RADA.
He then acted in Leicester and Nottingham theatres in his early career, before spending several years with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
There he worked with director Mike Leigh when he was cast in his first feature film Bleak Moments.
The movie – which was based on a stage play – left critics divided over its style, but The Guardian called the film: ‘A striking and entirely original first feature.’
After Emmerdale, Eric joined The Archers in May 1997 where he took over the role of farmer Bert Fry from Roger Hume who had died the previous year.
‘He’s the character the production team tend to turn to if the storylines are getting too depressing and a bit of light relief is called for,’ Eric noted in 2021 of Bert as he reflected on his career.
He last featured in The Archers in February 2020 and after he decided to retire Bert died off-microphone the following year.
One of his most notable performances in The Archers was in 2015 when Bert’s wife Freda died in the great Ambridge flood.
Bert’s wife Freda, who was the cook at the local pub, The Bull, wasn’t ever heard in The Archers.
Eric is survived by his wife Susan who he married in 1963 as well as their son and daughter
He also starred as Les Fox, one of Bet Lynch’s boyfriends in Coronation Street in 1977
The actor – who grew up in Yorkshire – was also known for starring in Bleak Moments and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (seen in the later)
But Eric always had a ‘strong feeling of her presence’. He previously said: ‘She’s never been silent for me. I’ve always had a strong impression of her as a real person.
‘It’s not a visual image, it’s emotional – a very strong feeling of her presence.’
Eric was born in 1940 to his soldier and later headmaster father and his midwife mother.
His other notable TV roles included playing tabloid sports editor opposite David Warner in the BBC series Hold the Back Page in 1985.
He also starred as Les Fox, one of Bet Lynch’s boyfriends in Coronation Street in 1977.
He also played guest roles in Z Cars, The New Avengers, Bergerac, The Bill and EastEnders.
He passed away on February 8, reports The Telegraph.
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Emmerdale and The Archers star Eric Allan dies aged 85: Actor passes away after 48-year career in television and radio