Michael Byrne, the veteran actor best known for playing Ted Page on Coronation Street and the older Gellert Grindelwald in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, has died at the age of 82. Tributes have been pouring in from fans and colleagues since the news broke on June 30, 2026.
Career Spanning Decades
Byrne's career began in the 1960s on iconic UK theatre stages. He performed alongside Maggie Smith at the Old Vic and later shared the screen with Hollywood royalty such as Harrison Ford. His filmography includes roles in Braveheart (1995) as a soldier, Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) as a navy officer opposite Pierce Brosnan's James Bond, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade as ruthless Nazi colonel Ernst Vogel. In Apt Pupil, he played a Jewish concentration camp survivor with Sir Ian McKellen.
Coronation Street Role
Byrne became a familiar face to soap fans as Ted Page, the ex-lover of Audrey Roberts and father of Gail Platt, appearing between 2008 and 2010. In his final episode, he walked his daughter Gail down the aisle in her wedding to Joe McIntyre. He also appeared on TV series such as Casualty, A Touch of Frost, and Sharpe.
Tributes and Family
Fans reacted on social media. Stuart Beck said: 'RIP to the charming Michael Byrne who played Corrie’s (lovely, gay) Ted Page.' Lily May Sherratt added: 'The superb Michael Byrne has left us.' Byrne is survived by his wife Carole, two daughters Tara and Bryony, and three grandchildren: Tom, Chloe, and Jasmine.
