John Challis, best known for his portrayal of Boycie in the much-loved sitcom Only Fools and Horses, has died aged 79.
Last week, Challis was forced to cancel a 30-date speaking tour after just a single show, citing ill health.
His death was announced yesterday (September 19).
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Tributes to Challis were led by his Only Fools co-stars Sir David Jason and Sue Holderness, who played Boycie’s long-suffering wife Marlene.
Who was John Challis?
Born in Bristol in 1942 and raised in Epsom, John Challis originally trained to be an estate agent before discovering acting.
One of his earliest TV roles was as Sergeant Culshaw in police drama Z-Cars from 1971 to 1975, while he had also acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1960s.
What was John Challis famous for?
John Challis is most famous for his role as Boycie - the shady second-hand car salesman - in Only Fools and Horses and its later spin-off, The Green Green Grass.
Challis starred as Boycie in Only Fools from 1981 to 2003, and in The Green Green Grass from 2003 to 2009.
Playing Boycie brought Challis fame and acclaim both at home and abroad. He was an honorary citizen of Serbia, where Only Fools remains enormously popular.
His other TV work included appearances in series such as Doctor Who, One Foot in the Grave, Last of the Summer Wine, In Sickness and in Health and Open All Hours.
What did John Challis die of?
John Challis died after a long and private battle with cancer.
Tributes to the actor poured in from his co-stars and admirers. Sir David Jason described Challis as “a wonderful actor” and “a gentleman in the true sense of the word”.
Sue Holderness also paid tribute to her “beloved friend” who she had worked with for 36 years, saying that she would miss Challis “every day”.
Also paying his respects was rapper and actor Ice-T, with whom Challis had struck up an unlikely but affectionate Twitter friendship.
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