Famend Irish actor Ben Keaton, celebrated for his position as Spencer in over 50 episodes of the BBC medical drama Casualty from 1999 to 2002, has died all of the sudden on the age of 70.
Keaton additionally gained followers for his portrayal of Jeff Brannigan within the ITV cleaning soap Emmerdale and his scene-stealing efficiency as Father Austin Purcell in a 1995 episode of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. He handed away at Lincoln County Hospital on Friday, as confirmed by a dying discover printed in The Irish Instances on Sunday.
Household Pays Tribute
The discover states: ‘Ben will probably be endlessly enormously missed, cherished and fondly remembered by his ex-wife Polly, son Waldo and daughter Daisy, brothers Des and Thom, sister Jeanette.’
It highlights his intensive profession: ‘Greatest identified for his roles in TV reveals together with Father Ted, Emmerdale, Casualty, The Invoice, movies together with East is East and so forth., and theatre performances in Animal Crackers, Harvey, Cyrano de Bergerac, Hay Fever, and so forth., a founder member of the improv group South of the River, and a director of the Artistic Academy, and extra. Funeral preparations to be introduced later.’
Ex-Spouse’s Heartfelt Assertion
Keaton’s ex-wife Polly shared a poignant message on Fb: ‘So extremely sorry to say Ben Keaton died final evening. It was very sudden and we’re all in shock. We had separated a number of years in the past however we had half a lifetime collectively and infuriated and made one another cry with laughter in equal measure. He was a terrific dad to Waldo and Daisy and the best Groucho and Cyrano I’ve ever seen.’
Remembered by Theatre Friends
Nottingham Playhouse expressed condolences: ‘We’re so sorry to listen to of the dying of Ben Keaton, an exquisite actor who’s fondly remembered in our 2008 manufacturing of Vertigo. Sending our deepest sympathies to his household and pals.’
Versatile Profession Highlights
All through his profession, Keaton appeared in episodes of The Invoice, Medical doctors, and Double Time. He additionally wrote episodes for Balamory, Gumtree, and Hubbub. A seasoned theatre actor and comic, he started instructing Bodily Theatre and Appearing for Digital camera on the College of Lincoln in 2008. In 2013, he based the Lincoln Movie and Tv Faculty.
Viral Father Ted Reunion
In 2022, Keaton reunited with Father Ted castmates Joe Rooney (Father Damo), Michael Redmond (Father Stone), and Patrick McDonnell (Eoin McLove) for a TikTok video that went viral. In an interview, he mirrored: ‘The video went from 500 views to 50,000 and up and up. Joe now says we’re up at half 1,000,000 views on TikTok. It’s unbelievable.’
He added: ‘I appeared in Casualty for 3 years, no one cares. I did three minutes on Father Ted and it’s all folks wish to discuss and one thing which simply sails by time.’
