Emmerdale and The Archers star Eric Allan has died at the age of 85. The actor appeared on the soap from 1972 to 1974, back when it was titled Emmerdale Farm.
Allan played blacksmith Frank Blakey, who married Janie Harker (Diane Grayson) in 1973, and the iconic moment marked Emmerdale’s first ever wedding.
The actor also briefly appeared on Coronation Street in 1977 as Les Fox, who went on a date with Bet Lynch (Julie Goodyear).
Allan later joined BBC Radio 4’s audio drama The Archers as farmer Bert Fry, whom he portrayed for 25 years. He took over the role from Roger Hume, who had died the year before.
Speaking about the character, Allan previously said (via The Daily Telegraph): “His was a handmade world: make do and mend, cobble it up with baling twine, keep stuff for a rainy day.
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“I always imagined he still had the suit he was married in, 60 years ago. Continuity and resilience were all.”
He added: “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.”
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Allan was born in 1940 and grew up in Yorkshire and Wolverhampton, before moving to Canada with his family when he was a teenager. He later returned England to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
As a young actor, Allan worked in a number of theatre productions, performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company. His other credits across his career include The Bill, Heartbeat and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
He is survived by his wife Susan and their two children.