Bernard Cribbins, the actor, comedian and singer whose career spanned eight decades, has died at the age of 93. He was best known in recent years for his role in Doctor Who, but also narrated the children's series The Wombles and appeared on Jackanory more than any other reader.
Cribbins was born in Oldham and made his TV debut in the 1956 version of David Copperfield. He appeared in films including Carry On Jack, Carry On Columbus and Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy. He first entered the Doctor Who universe in the 1964 film Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D., before returning in 2007 as Wilfred Mott.
He narrated The Wombles from 1973 to 1975, a role that endeared him to generations of children. He also read 114 stories on Jackanory between 1966 and 1991, more than any other reader. In 2003, he appeared in 11 episodes of Coronation Street as Wally Bannister.
Cribbins had two top-10 hits in 1962: Hole in the Ground and Right Said Fred. Noël Coward chose Hole in the Ground as one of his Desert Island Discs. Cribbins was awarded the OBE in 2011 for services to drama.
Tributes have been paid by Russell T Davies, who worked with Cribbins on Doctor Who, and actress Elaine Page, who described him as 'funny, kind, genuine, always had a smile on his face'.
