Lyndam Gregory, an actor known for roles in both EastEnders and Coronation Street, died aged 59 from lung cancer in 2014, despite having never smoked. The news was confirmed in a tribute published by his wife, Christine.
A career across two of the UK's favourite soaps
Gregory played Guppy Sharma in EastEnders from 1995 for 12 months, a role that made him instantly recognisable. He had earlier won the part of Sammy Patel in Coronation Street in 1983, and voiced Ashok in the long-running radio soap The Archers.
Born in Darjeeling, India, he was the son of a tea planter, Neville, and a teacher, Marina. In the early 1960s, his father relocated the family from India to London.
From bank work to the stage
His wife, Christine, said: "Lyndam began his working life in a bank but always aspired to work as an actor on television, having been beguiled by black-and-white programmes when he arrived in London."
He studied at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, and his first professional role was in a production of The Blue Monster at the Arts Theatre in London.
Television roles and diagnosis
His first TV role came in 1979 when he was cast as Latif Khan in Rumpole of the Bailey. He also appeared in the comedy Surgical Spirit between 1989 and 1992, plus roles in The Bill, London's Burning, Casualty and Doctors, and narrated audio books.
In a poignant obituary published in The Guardian, Christine said: "Lyndam loved being in the soaps, although the wide audience they attracted meant that many complete strangers would approach him as though they had known him for years. He enjoyed filming EastEnders at Elstree studios because of its association with landmark films."
Gregory, a non-smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer in July 2013 and died a year later. He is survived by his wife and daughter, Dominique.
