Veteran Actor Bernard Cribbins Dies Aged 93

Bernard Cribbins has died at the age of 93 – his agent, Gavin Barker Associates, has confirmed. “He worked well into his 90s, recently appearing in Doctor Who and the CBeebies series Old Jack’s Boat,” a statement reads. “He lost his wife of 66 years, Gill, last year. 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.”

Cribbins’ career has spanned seven decades. His most famous roles include Albert Perks in The Railway Children, the narrator for The Wombles, Felix Forsythe in Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy, and more recently, appearing in Old Jack’s Boat – and various roles in Doctor Who. 

He first appeared as Tom Campbell in the 1996 film Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. alongside Peter Cushing before playing Wilfred Mott alongside David Tennant from 2007 to 2010. Earlier this year, Cribbins returned to film alongside Tennant and Catherine Tate for the upcoming 60th-anniversary special that airs in 2023.

Other memorable appearances throughout his career include stints in three Carry On films, The Wrong Arm of the LawShe, and the 1967 version of Casino Royale. In 2018, Cribbins made his final on-screen appearance as Albert in Patrick

“I love this man. I love him.” Russell T Davies said in a post on Instagram. The Doctor Who showrunner added that Cribbins “loved being in Doctor Who. He said, ‘Children are calling me grandad in the street!’ His first day was on location with Kylie Minogue, but all eyes, even Kylie’s, were on Bernard. He’d turned up with a suitcase full of props, just in case, including a rubber chicken.”

Davies concluded the post by saying he was “so lucky to have known him. Thanks for everything, my old soldier. A legend has left the world.” 

Author
Matt Bailey

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