Bernard Cribbins, the veteran actor who narrated The Wombles and starred in Doctor Who, has died aged 93.
A statement from his agents at Gavin Barker Associates said: “Bernard’s contribution to British entertainment is without question. He was unique, typifying the best of his generation, and will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing and working with him.”
A cause of death has not been disclosed.
Cribbins’ career spanned seven decades. The actor, born in Oldham in 1928, was best known for narrating the Seventies children’s programme The Wombles and starring in the 1970 film The Railway Children as kind-but-firm station porter Mr Albert Perks.
He also played the Doctor’s companion, Tom Campbell, in the 1966 movie Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150, returning four decades later in the revived Doctor Who TV series to play Wilfred Mott, Catherine Tate’s grandfather, from 2007 to 2010.
Cribbins starred in thee Carry On films and was known for his novelty records “The Hole in the Ground” and “Right Said Fred”. Both songs were top 10 hits in 1962.
His famous guest appearance on Fawlty Towers saw him play pretentious guest Mr Hutchinson – a spoon salesman mistaken by Basil Fawlty for a hotel inspector.
Cribbins appeared on BBC’s storytelling show, Jackanory, more times than any other reader (114 times, between 1966 and 1991).
In a 2020 interview with The Telegraph, Cribbins said a taxi driver once told him his appearances on Jackanory had made him want to read. Recalling the conversation, Cribbins said: “I almost wept. My parents didn’t read to me. My dad was a jobbing labourer, my mother was in the cotton mills. They were knackered when they came in. They fed me and, [told me to] get upstairs.”
He also starred in 11 episodes of Coronation Street in 2003 as Wally Bannister. In 2011, he was awarded the OBE for services to drama.
Cribbins lost his wife of 66 years, Gill, last year.
Russell T Davies, who worked with Cribbins on Doctor Who, posted a tribute to the actor on Instagram, writing: “He’d phone up and say, ‘I’ve got an idea! What if I attack a Dalek with a paintball gun?!’ Okay, Bernard, in it went!
“He loved Gill with all his heart; he mentioned her in every conversation we ever had. A love story for the ages. I’m so lucky to have known him. Thanks for everything, my old soldier. A legend has left the world.”
In 2018, Cribbins released his memoir, Bernard Who?, in which he talked about becoming the nation’s “Uncle Bernard”.
