Timothy West, 90, dies as Dad's Army and EastEnders icon's family share his final moments

Actor Timothy West, known for many roles in television and the theatre, has died peacefully in his sleep aged 90 “with his friends and family at the end”, his family said

Timothy West, who was married to fellow actor Prunella Scales for 61 years, has died aged 90, his family said.

His children Juliet, Samuel and Joseph West said in a statement issued by his agent: “After a long and extraordinary life on and off the stage, our darling father Timothy West died peacefully in his sleep yesterday evening. He was 90 years old.

“Tim was with friends and family at the end. He leaves his wife Prunella Scales, to whom he was married for 61 years, a sister, a daughter, two sons, seven grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren. All of us will miss him terribly. We would like to thank the incredible NHS staff at St George’s Hospital, Tooting and at Avery Wandsworth for their loving care during his last days.”

Just last year, Timothy opened up about his long romance with his beloved wife as the couple battled a new challenge in their relationship, Prunella's dementia diagnosis. Prunella was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2014, but her husband Timothy noticed the signs back in 2001 after going to see her in a theatre production.

Despite the show going ahead without any hitches, the former EastEnders actor admitted he thought Prunella was "a bit strange" and "not totally with it". After being together for six decades, the Not Going Out actor, aged 89, opened up about their future and Prunella's condition in a rare interview in November 2023, where he confessed it "isn't going to get better."

"It hasn't really been hard work has it? ," he told BBC Breakfast, before his wife, aged 91, chimed in: "No, he is the person I love and I enjoy being with..." to which he responded: "That is about it I think! " Discussing when he first noticed his wife's deterioration, he said: "I came to see a play that Pru was doing in Greenwich."

"I went to see the first night and it was good, much enjoyed by the audience and then I went to see it again and I thought 'She's not totally with it'. We went to see a specialist and he said I am sorry this is just something that happens to you when you get older. It is not going to get any easier but we cope with it and we manage."

As the news of Timothy's death broke, many rushed to pay tribute to the late star on social media. In the replies to Timothy's son Sam's announcement on Twitter (X), Strictly Come Dancing star Richard Coles told the grieving actor: "Dearest Sam, my condolences to you and yours xxx."

"The incomparable Timothy West has passed away. What a loss but what a life," one mourning fan penned as another shared: "I only had the privilege to meet Timothy West once, about twenty years ago at a literary festival event and he was very kind to a small boy who wanted to act. Charm personified, he truly was an incredible actor and human being who will be sorely missed."

Timothy starred in television shows such as comedy drama Brass, sitcom Not Going Out and soaps Coronation Street and EastEnders. The late actor and his wife Prunella, 92, who played Sybil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers, appeared in the documentary series Great Canal Journeys between 2014 and 2021, which saw them travelling on narrowboats together.

The couple married in 1963, and have two sons, actor Samuel West, and Joseph West. Timothy was also married to actor Jacqueline Boyer from 1956 to 1961, and they had a daughter, Juliet West.

In Brass he played ruthless self-made businessman Bradley Hardacre from 1982 to 1984 before returning for a third series in 1990, while in Not Going Out he played Geoffrey, the father of Lucy Adams, played by Sally Bretton. In Coronation Street he appeared in seven episodes in 2013 as Eric Babbage, while in EastEnders he played Stan Carter from 2014 to 2015.

During his career West also played former British prime minister Winston Churchill three times, in From Churchill and the Generals (1979), The Last Bastion (1984), and Hiroshima (1995). In 2019, the Bradford-born actor played Private Godfrey in Dad’s Army: The Lost Episodes, a recreation of three missing episodes of the BBC comedy Dad’s Army. He was also a regular performer of Shakespeare, playing Lear in 2016 and 2002.