Irish actor Ben Keaton, best known for his role as Father Austin Purcell in the classic comedy series Father Ted, has died at the age of 69. He passed away at Lincoln County Hospital on Friday, March 20.
His death notice described him as a beloved father and brother, stating: "Ben will be forever greatly missed, loved and fondly remembered by his ex-wife Polly, son Waldo and daughter Daisy, brothers Des and Thom, sister Jeanette."
Polly paid tribute on Facebook, saying: "So incredibly sorry to say Ben Keaton died last night. It was very sudden and we are all in shock. We had separated several years ago but we had half a lifetime together and infuriated and made each other cry with laughter in equal measure. He was a great dad to Waldo and Daisy and the finest Groucho and Cyrano I have ever seen."
Keaton's portrayal of Father Austin Purcell, dubbed the "most boring priest" by the show's titular character, appeared in a single episode of the second series. He also had roles in Emmerdale as Jeff Brannigan, involved in a hit-and-run storyline, and in Casualty as Spencer, appearing in over 50 episodes. His other credits include The Bill, Double Time, and comedy-horror Love Bite.
In 2015, he reprised his Father Ted role in the web series Cook Like A Priest, which he also wrote. A fan account on X paid tribute: "Saddened to hear of the passing of actor Ben Keaton. We knew him as Father Austin Purcell (one of my favourite one-off characters). He was a regular at ComicCon events, so I imagine many got to meet him over the years."
