![\"Editorial](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/SEI_292332787-c026.jpg\")
\n\t\tHe had a hugely successful career as an actor and director (Picture: ITV\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tHe had a hugely successful career as an actor and director (Picture: ITV\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n
Former Coronation Street<\/a> star Paul Seed has died at the age of 78.<\/p>\n The actor, who also became a hugely successful director, played the role of Father Harris in the ITV soap from 1979-1981. <\/p>\n The character officiated the wedding of Gail Platt<\/a> (Helen Worth<\/a>) and Brian Tilsley (Christopher Quinten). He also led the christening of Gail and Brian\u2019s son Nick Tilsley (eventually played by Ben Price<\/a>).<\/p>\n Paul said goodbye to the acting world in the 1980s to become a director. He went on to help create dramas including ITV\u2019s A Touch of Frost, Doc Martin, and BBC\u2019s House of Cards.<\/p>\n During the earlier years of his directing career, he worked alongside Kenneth Branagh<\/a> and Liam Neeson<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t In the world of theatre, Paul appeared in productions including Love\u2019s Labour\u2019s Lost, Hamlet, The Birthday Party and The Merchant of Venice<\/a>.<\/p>\n As shared in an obituary by the Guardian<\/a>, Paul died on March 7 after being diagnosed with cancer. He\u2019s survived by wife Elizabeth Cassidy and their two sons, Jack and Sean.<\/p>\n The obituary, by Sir Tom Courtenay, sees him pay tribute to Paul\u2019s work.<\/p>\n He wrote: \u2018Paul\u2019s big breakthrough had come with House of Cards \u2013 adapted by Andrew Davies from Michael Dobbs\u2019s novel, with Ian Richardson as the scheming politician Francis Urquhart \u2013 followed by the second part of the trilogy, To Play the King.<\/p>\n \t\t Tom also said: \u2018He loved what he did, and this love communicated itself to his actors. I\u2019m sure I wasn\u2019t the only one who thought the world of him.\u2019<\/p>\n Paul was born in Devon<\/a> and eventually moved to Manchester. He studied drama at the university there, and graduated in 1970.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tDon’t miss a Soaps scoop! Add us as a Preferred Source\t\t\t<\/p>\n As a loyal Metro Soaps reader, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for stories. We have all the latest soaps news, spoilers, videos, and interviews, with a vibrant community of highly engaged readers.<\/p>\n Click the button below and tick\u00a0Metro.co.uk\u00a0to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.<\/p>\n \nAdd us as a Preferred Source<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \t\t Paul was awarded the Best Single Drama Bafta for A Rather English Marriage, and then another for Best Drama in 2010, this time for the series Just William. It aired on BBC One and starred Daniel Roche.<\/p>\n The star\u2019s other acting roles included Doctor Who, Roald Dahl\u2019s Tales of the Unexpected, and Pretenders.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Editorial](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/SEI_292332789-8806.jpg\")
\n\t\tPaul played Father Harris, who oversaw Nick Tilsley\u2019s christening (Picture: ITV\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n![\"Editorial](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/SEI_292332871-91e3.jpg\")
\n\t\tHe also helped create familiar TV dramas as a director (Picture: ITV\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n![\"Editorial](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/SEI_292332756-9080.jpg\")
\n\t\tPaul died following a cancer diagnosis (Picture: ITV\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n![\"Soaps](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775645771_626_SEI_278522320-46a3.jpg\")
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