Are You Being Served's Nicholas Smith dies at 81

Actor Nicholas Smith, who played Mr Rumbold in Are You Being Served?, has died at the age of 81.

He had been the last surviving original cast member of the BBC sitcom.

His agents, Michelle Braidman Associates, said in a statement: 'It is with great sadness we can confirm that our client, the actor Nicholas Smith, passed away yesterday. He was a lovely man and a terrific actor. He will be much missed by all who knew him. Our thoughts are with his family.'

The son of a chartered surveyor, he started his acting career in rep theatre. His first TV speaking role was in the 1964 Doctor Who serial The Dalek Invasion of Earth.

A number of small roles followed, before he was cast in two regular roles in 1972, as PC Jeff Yates in Z-Cars, and Cuthbert Rumbold, the manager of the menswear and ladieswear departments of Grace Brothers.

He remained with remained with Are You Being Served? until its end in 1985, as well as appearing in the spin-off film in 1977 and the sitcom's sequel, Grace & Favour, which ran in 1991 and 1192.

Smith became the last surviving member of the original cast of on the death of Frank Thornton in March 2013. The only other principal actor who survives is 73-year-old Mike Berry, who was brought in as Mr. Spooner when Trevor Bannister left the series in 1979.

More recently, Smith was the voice of Reverend Clement Hedges in the 2005 Wallace & Gromit film The Curse of the Were-Rabbit and in 2008 he appeared as a vicar in Last of the Summer Wine.

Smith died on Sunday, having spent the last seven weeks in hospital following fall at his home.

He is the father of actress Catherine Russell, who plays Serena Campbell in Holby City.

Published: 7 Dec 2015