'He brought joy to many'

Jack Smethurst, who found fame in the controversial 1970s sitcom  Love Thy Neighbour, has died at the age of 89.

The actor played Eddie Booth in the ITV comedy, a white bigot  forever trading racist insults with his black neighbour, played by Rudolph Walker.

Although uncomfortable to watch now, it was hugely successful at the time, running for 53 episodes from 1972 to 1976 and attracting up to  17 million viewers at its peak.

But afterwards Smethurst said he found it difficult to get work, not because he portrayed a racist but because he had become pigeonholed as one character. So he ended up working in a florist’s in Harrow, making only rare appearances in the likes of Chariots of Fire, Dinnerladies and King Ralph.

Immediately before Love Thy Neighbour, Smethurst starred in the sitcom For the Love of Ada, having made his film debut in Carry On Sergeant in 1958.

Smethurst’s son Adam, also an actor, broke the news of his death on Twitter, posting: ‘Today we said farewell to our dear Dad. He was much loved and brought joy to many. Our entire family give thanks to a long and fruitful life.’

And fellow comedy actor Robin Askwith paid tribute, posting: ‘So sorry to hear about the passing of my friend Jack Smethurst. We loved working with each other and I taught his son cricket on a beach in Perth WA!! Our west end run was a riot. He was a thoughtful and excellent actor.’

Published: 17 Feb 2022