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Archers actor Alan Devereux, who played Sid Perks, dies | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Actor Alan Devereux, who played the role of Sid Perks in the BBC Radio 4 soap opera The Archers for nearly 50 years, has died. | Actor Alan Devereux, who played the role of Sid Perks in the BBC Radio 4 soap opera The Archers for nearly 50 years, has died. |
The 75-year-old died of natural causes on Sunday after a short illness. | |
The character Sid arrived on the show as a young tearaway from Birmingham on 30 September 1963 and remained in the drama until his death in 2010. | The character Sid arrived on the show as a young tearaway from Birmingham on 30 September 1963 and remained in the drama until his death in 2010. |
Editor Sean O'Connor said Devereux's voice was "instantly recognisable and full of rich character". | |
"As an actor Alan was adept at both intense drama as well as dead-pan comedy. He was a wonderful member of The Archers' family," he added. | "As an actor Alan was adept at both intense drama as well as dead-pan comedy. He was a wonderful member of The Archers' family," he added. |
'Natural gift' | |
Former editor Vanessa Whitburn said: "Alan was a consummate and brilliant radio actor. | Former editor Vanessa Whitburn said: "Alan was a consummate and brilliant radio actor. |
"Always a delight to work with, his versatility as publican Sid Perks meant that he created superb partnerships with the actresses who played all three of his wives. | "Always a delight to work with, his versatility as publican Sid Perks meant that he created superb partnerships with the actresses who played all three of his wives. |
"A modest man, I don't think he knew just how talented he was." | "A modest man, I don't think he knew just how talented he was." |
Fellow actor Trevor Harrison, who plays Eddie Grundy on the drama, told the BBC Devereux was a "lovely, sensitive man". | |
"I was privileged to know him both professionally and socially," he said. | |
"He had a natural gift for acting and was very talented. He was a wonderful Sid Perks and will always be remembered as a part of Ambridge [the fictional location of the show]." | |
Devereux leaves behind his son and daughter, Tracy Jane White, who played his on-air daughter Lucy for more than a decade. | |
The character Sid, a borstal boy, first appeared in the show as a guest at the Grey Gables Country Club, and went on to become the landlord of The Bull pub in 1972. | |
Buffy Davis, who plays Jolene, starred alongside Devereux in the controversial "sex in the shower" scene in 2000 before becoming the publican's third wife. | |
She told the BBC Radio 4 website: "Alan was a one-off, there was no one like him. He possessed a wicked sense of humour and was uniquely talented, I loved him." |
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