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| Ex-EastEnders star Mike Reid dies | Ex-EastEnders star Mike Reid dies |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Former EastEnders actor Mike Reid has died at the age of 67 after suffering a suspected heart attack, his agent said. | |
| The actor, who played Frank Butcher in the BBC soap, was living in Spain at the time of his death. | The actor, who played Frank Butcher in the BBC soap, was living in Spain at the time of his death. |
| Mr Reid started out as a stand-up comedian in clubs and on cruise liners, before appearing in TV shows including Steptoe and Son, Doctor Who and Minder. | Mr Reid started out as a stand-up comedian in clubs and on cruise liners, before appearing in TV shows including Steptoe and Son, Doctor Who and Minder. |
| His agent David Hahn told the BBC that Mr Reid had been feeling very well in the past few weeks. | His agent David Hahn told the BBC that Mr Reid had been feeling very well in the past few weeks. |
| He said: "Mike was in fine fettle form. In fact only a couple of weeks ago we were having dinner over here. | He said: "Mike was in fine fettle form. In fact only a couple of weeks ago we were having dinner over here. |
| "Mike that particular day went to see his consultant and had a full medical - and they gave him a clean bill of health." | "Mike that particular day went to see his consultant and had a full medical - and they gave him a clean bill of health." |
| And Mr Hahn paid tribute to Mr Reid, who he described as "a very, very, very, funny" man. | |
| He said: "He would see the funny side of any situation, no matter how black it was. Even now I'm sure he's laughing." | |
| Mr Reid first appeared on EastEnders in September 1987 and gave his last turn in December 2005. | |
| Close friend of the actor and fellow comedian Frank Carson told BBC News 24 it was "absolutely devastating". | |
| "We have just lost our friend Bernard Manning a fortnight ago. I just can't realise... this is devastating news," he said. | |
| He said he had first met Mike around 30 years ago when they were both working as comedians. | |
| "This is horrendous news. "Everyone in showbusiness will be shocked because this was one of the great friends of anything you wanted to do in showbusiness," he added. |