Ian Lavender, best known for playing Private Frank Pike in classic comedy series Dad's Army, has died at the age of 77.
The Birmingham-born actor, who lived in Woolpit, near Bury St Edmunds, and was the last remaining main cast member from the wartime-set BBC show, died on Friday, February 2.
He is known for playing the hapless Pike, who frequently had run-ins with Captain George Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe), calling him "Stupid Boy", and who was looked after by Sergeant Arthur Wilson (John Le Mesurier).
Pike, the youngest member of the Home Guard troop and a bank clerk, would often refer to Wilson as Uncle Arthur as he was in a relationship with his overprotective mother Mavis Pike (Janet Davies).
Mr Lavender also played Derek Harkinson, a gay friend of Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard) in BBC One soap EastEnders from 2001 to 2005.
He returned to Walford in 2016 but left in 2017 after he became ill with sepsis, having previously battled cancer and a heart attack.
In 2006, Mr Lavender hailed staff at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds who cared for him when he suffered a heart attack two years before.
Opening its £3.5 million refurbished radiology department, he said: "It is an honour and privilege to be here as I have been treated by this hospital several times.
"It is nice to enter the x-ray unit standing up rather than lying flat on my back in a bed. It is a privilege to be able to give something back to a hospital who gave me my life back."
The same year he launched the annual Suffolk Historic Churches Trust's sponsored bike ride to raise money for Suffolk's churches and chapels and revealed it was the local church that convinced him to move to Woolpit.
And more recently, in 2019, Mr Lavender unveiled a £70,000 play area in Church Road, Woolpit, before children from Woolpit Primary School became the first youngsters to try out the new equipment.
Andrew Clarke, former arts editor of the East Anglian Daily Times, said: "Ian Lavender was a wonderful, long-term Suffolk resident who, while being a famous face, took the time and trouble to fully integrate himself into local life.
"He was a long-term resident of Woolpit, near Bury St Edmunds, and most years took part in the annual fund-raising bike ride for the Suffolk Historic Churches Trust.
"He also had close connections with the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, during the tenure of artistic director Colin Blumenau who oversaw the renovation of the theatre which saw the building return to its Georgian layout."
He continued: "Ian Lavender first got to know Suffolk during his decade playing Private Frank Pike in the long-running BBC comedy series Dad's Army.
"The series was Ian's first proper job after leaving drama school in the late 1960s. It was a time he looked back fondly on.
"I spoke to him off and on for more than ten years as the EADT's arts editor and he always spoke to his time on the show with great affection.
"He told me. "We shot a lot of the series in Norfolk and Suffolk because David Croft lived at Honington Hall on the Suffolk/Norfolk border and he liked working close to home. Each summer we'd travel up to Suffolk, stay in the Bell Hotel in Thetford and spend a month shooting all the exteriors. It was great."
Stuart Wright, chairman of the Thetford Dad’s Amy Museum said: "It is sad to hear of the passing of Ian Lavender, the last remaining member of the main cast of Dad’s Army.
"Ian visited Thetford many times since the filming of Dad’s Army ended in 1977.
"He also visited the museum on a number of occasions since it opened in 2007 and was always in great demand from visitors when he appeared.
"I recollect Ian being part of the programme’s 40th anniversary celebrations in Thetford in 2008 riding in the parade of vehicles and this is one of the many images we have on display from his visits to Thetford.
"Thetford has a life size mural of Private Pike which is always popular with visitors and no doubt will be much in demand after the sad news of Ian’s passing.
"The museum will have a special display about Ian and Dad’s Army when it reopens in March," he added.
A statement from Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds said: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Ian Lavender.
"Ian will be missed dearly here at Theatre Royal. Ian was a huge supporter of the theatre – performing in fundraising events, and galas and was an integral part of the Restoration Appeal 2005-2007.
"Ian, together with his wife Michele, was such a mighty supporter: he will be hugely missed and remembered so fondly. Our thoughts are with Michele and their family.
"How lucky we were in Suffolk, to be the home of such a wonderful and iconic actor," they added.
In the 1970s, Dad's Army regularly attracted more than 18 million viewers, becoming one of the most-watched television programmes of its time.
Dad's Army was written by the late David Croft OBE who was also behind hit series including Are You Being Served?, Hi-de-Hi! and 'Allo 'Allo!
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