Ray Brooks: EastEnders star and beloved children's TV show narrator dies aged 86 after short illness
Film and television actor Ray Brooks has died at the age of 86 after battling a short illness.
The star was best known for his work on soaps such as EastEnders, and also his voiceover narration, including the iconic 1970s children’s show Mr Benn. He also lended his voice to advertisements for brands such as Guinness and Marmite.
His family confirmed his passing in a statement to the BBC, saying that he passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 9 after a short illness. The family also revealed at Brooks had been battling dementia in the years prior to his death.
Sons Will and Tom revealed that their dad’s role in Mr Benn lead to him being stopped in the street “with people continually asking him to say the catchphrase 'as if by magic!'”. They added: “Although only 13 episodes were made, they were repeated twice a year for 21 years.”
Brooks would go on to appear as Joe Mercer in EastEnders in the mid-noughties, joining the soap in 2005. He went on to marry legendary character Pauline Fowler and killed off the long-running character in a dramatic episode on Christmas Day 2007, after striking her with a frying pan in an argument which caused Pauline to collapse in the middle of a snowy Albert Square.
He also appeared in shows such as Growing Pains, The Avengers, Gideon’s Way, Doctor Who and had a brief appearance in Coronation Street in 1964. Brooks also appeared in various films including the cult-hit Cathy Come Home, Palme d’Or-winning film The Knack... and How To Get It, and Carry On Abroad.