It was announced today that Bernard Cribbins, a beloved actor and child’s television star, has passed away at 93. This news comes just months after the death of his wife of nearly 70 years.
The loss of British superstar, Fawlty Tomlinson, Doctor Who and many Carry On movies, as well as Fawlty Towers and Doctor Who narrations, devastated British fans.
Mr Cribbins, the son of cotton weaver from Oldham who worked on children’s TV until recently and was due to appear in the new series of Doctor Who next year after filming for a 60th anniversary show with former Time Lord David Tennant, who was seen pushing him in a wheelchair through north London with Catherine Tate on May 16.
Russell T Davies (Doctor Who) led the tributes today. He declared that a legend had left the world and told Instagram: “A legend is gone.”
Gavin Barker Associates released the following statement: “Beloved actor Bernard Cribbins OBE died at the age of93.
“His work spans over seven decades, with so many diverse projects, including films like The Railway Children and The Carry On Series, hit 60s single Right Said Fred and appearances on Fawlty Towers.
He continued to work well into his 90s and was most recently seen in Doctor Who’s Old Jack’s Boat on CBeebies. Gill, his wife of 66 year, died last year. “Bernard is a significant contributor to British entertainment. All who knew him and worked with him will miss them greatly.
Mr Cribbins, a friend of The Beatles and numerous megastars including David Niven, recently put his long life and career down ‘good luck and genes’. He said that ‘it’s only a number’ when he was 90 and promised to never stop working.
However, he lost his beloved wife Gillian in October last year. They had been married since 1955. He was only a year old when he got his first acting role in the TV version of David Copperfield. They were married in Surrey, and they had no children after a series miscarriages.
Bernard claimed that his experience with children’s television and movies, including The Railway Children gave him a’very warm feeling to think about all the people who saw it as a kid’ and helped him deal with the loss of having one.
He beat prostate cancer in his later years and was able to have triple heart bypass surgery. His spinal injury also left him incapable of walking long distances. The CBeebies’ beloved series Old Jack’s Boat featured him sitting down and telling tales of the sea to young viewers.
Catherine Tate, David Tennant, and Bernard Cribbins return to Dr Who in this last photograph of Bernard Cribbins. He was reprising his role as Wilfred.
Bernard Cribbins (pictured above with Gillian), who died in December at the age of 1993
Russell T Davies, an Instagram user who remembered Cribbins as “an old soldier” as well as a “legend”, starred in Sci-Fi’s Wilfred Mott role from 2007 through 2010.
Bernard Cribbins plays the role of ‘Wilf” in Doctor Who’s 2009 Episode; alongside David Tennant, ‘The End of Time, Part One’.
Pictured in 2018, Mr Cribbins is seen working into his 90s. He credits his longevity to “good luck and genetics”.
In the beloved film adaptation of Railway Children, Mr Cribbins plays the role. While he was unable to have children with his wife, Cribbins said that despite his efforts on the movie adaptation of Railway Children and others helped him get through his grief.
Bernard, who was well-known for his comic acting skills, is pictured measuring Barbara Windsor’s chest with Carry on Spying 1964 and Carry on Jack 1963.
After receiving his Officer of British Empire (OBE), medal during the Investiture Ceremony with Princess Anne in 2011, Bernard Cribbins is seen with it.
Even with mobility difficulties, the actor kept working into his 80s. Salty and Salty are seen here in Old Jack’s Boat (the beloved CBeebies program).
1947: The Parachute Regiment was formed by the actor after he was called up to Army national service following the Second World War.
Russell T Davies, Doctor Who’s showrunner, has expressed his gratitude to Bernard Cribbins after his passing at the age of93. He said: “A legend has gone from the world.”
Davies remembered Cribbins as Wilfred Mtt, a sci-fi actor from 2007-10. Davies described Cribbins on Instagram as an ‘old soldier.
A picture of the actor, with his face peeking through the holes in a brick wall’s fake brick wall hole, was included. He wrote that he loved this man. I love him. This is him in A Midsummer Night’s Dream as Snout.
Bernard, if you’re interested in doing Shakespeare. “Let me read the script.” He was familiar with everyone. He would talk about David Niven and The Beatles. And he’d tell you how he was once seen on the stairs imitating Bird Calls with TH White. After that, he would add “I said to Ashley Banjo last Week He enjoyed being in Doctor Who.” “Children call me grandad on the street!” he said. He was first on-location with Kylie Minogue. But all eyes were focused on Bernard, not Kylie.
“He had brought a bag full props to the scene, which included a rubber chicken. He was a great actor. He is truly a great actor. One time, we brought him with us to the TV Choice Awards. He collected the award on his own. The entire audience cheered and stood for him. This is a beautiful memory. He would then call and tell me, “I got an idea!” He would call up and say, “I have an idea!” Bernard! In it went!
“He loved Gill so much that he always mentioned her in all of our conversations. This is a love story that will last a lifetime.
“I am so fortunate to have met him. My old soldier, thank you for all your help. The world has lost a legend.
Cribbins was born in Oldham and loved for his versatility. Cribbins became a household name as The Wombles’ Narrator, which won him a lot of popularity with kids across the nation.
Cribbins had appeared on stage many times before making his film debut with Davy 1957. After that, he worked alongside some of the most iconic names of British cinema in films like Two-Way Stretch, She and Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 AD.
He was also the star of several Carry On films and played roles in TV’s most beloved shows, Coronation Street and Doctor Who.
Cribbins had an offscreen career that was successful. They recorded many hit records, including two comedy songs in 1962, Hole In The Ground (right Said Fred), and Two Songs In The Ground (right). Both of these reached the top 10 of the UK singles chart.
He is perhaps best known for his role as Albert Perks station porter in The Railway Children. This movie was released in 1970.
E Nesbit, a book adaptation that E Nesbit directed, chronicles three kids’ adventures in moving from London and Yorkshire to escape their father who is falsely accused of selling secrets.
A young Jenny Agutter was also featured in the film. It is famously remembered for the heartbreaking moment at the film’s climax, when Agutter’s character weeps as they reunite on a train platform. Cribbins played Albert Perks the station porter.
He was awarded an OBE in 2011 for his services to drama. Inauguration ceremony: He stated that the process of writing The Wombles meant it was very easy for him to voice characters such as Uncle Bulgaria and Tobermory.
1958: Bernard Cribbins in a scene from ‘Lady At The Wheel’, a musical comedy playing at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith
Pictured left, in 1960, and right, in 1962. He starred in hundreds TV and film shows during his extraordinary career.
1965: Bernard Cribbins (right) and Peter Cushing (left) comfort John Richardson (centre) in a scene from the film ‘She
1970: Bernard Cribbins (left) with Sally Thomsett (left), and Jenny Agutter. They were filming The Railway Children at location
Bernard was friends with Joan Collins, The Beatles and many other stars on the screen.
2004: Queen, at the Children’s Trust in Tadworth (Surrey), where she received a number of celebrity guests, including TV presenter Michael Aspel and illustrator Tony Hart.
2006: Bernard Cribbins and fellow legend Eric Sykes at the SPARKS Rick Wakeman Golf Day held at Burhill Golf club
2010: Bernard Cribbins arrives in London at Waterloo Station on board the Stirling Single, a train that weighed 66 tons and was featured in Railway Children.
2010: Bernard Cribbins and David Tennant collecting the award for best Drama received for Dr Who during the National Television Award
2014. The show’s 40th anniversary saw the cast reunite. Bernard Cribbins and fellow members of The Railway Children’s cast, Deddie Davies (left to right), Gary Warren, Jenny Agutter
2014. Mr Cribbins reads a portion from Winnie The Pooh, after receiving the J M Barrie Annual Award
He said, “The writing structure was so structured that it was easy to see exactly the social position of everyone in that house.”
His role as Wilfred, the grandfather of Donna Noble’s Doctor Who companion, continued on.
Voyage Of The Damned was broadcasted on Christmas Day 2007 and saw 13.31million people tune in in to see David Tennant fight to save the Titanic crew.
Cribbins and special guests Kylie Minogue (geoffrey Palmer), Clive Swift, Russell Tovey were all featured in this episode.
Also, he was the main character in Old Jack’s Boat on CBeebies and narrated in the 1960s the Tufty Fluffytale series public information films about safety roads.
Recent reports claim that Cribbins was spotted filming with Tate and Tennant at Doctor Who’s 60th Anniversary Celebrations.