Simon Cadell, best known for his role as Professor Jeffrey Fairbrother in the BBC sitcom Hi-De-Hi!, died at the age of 45 in 1996 after a battle with cancer. Before his death, the actor had suffered a near-fatal heart attack in 1993, following a recital with Joanna Lumley at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall. He subsequently underwent triple bypass surgery.
Career and family life
Cadell enjoyed a prolific career after landing his breakthrough role in the beloved sitcom. The show introduced him to creator David Croft and his daughter, Rebecca, whom Cadell married in 1986. The couple had two sons, Patrick and Alec.
Known to smoke up to 80 cigarettes a day, Cadell was as much an actor of the stage as he was on screen. After recovering from his heart attack, he received difficult news later that year when he was diagnosed with lymph cancer.
Diagnosis and final years
In an interview in 1995, Cadell said: "I don't want to build myself up as anything special. The cancer is still there. We're learning to live with each other. It's a bugger of a disease."
Gyles Brandreth, a close friend, wrote a heartfelt letter to his late friend in 2018. He recalled the moment Cadell called to tell him about the diagnosis. Brandreth wrote: "We thought we were invincible and then, one day, we had our come-uppance."
Recalling the phone call
Brandreth described the morning of Saturday 11 September 1993: "I was standing in the kitchen at home, squeezing the breakfast orange juice, when the telephone rang."
"'You are going to have to be brave,' you said. 'I'm in the Harley Street Clinic. It's not good news. I'm riddled with cancer. It could be just a matter of days. I'll want you to do the address at the service. We must talk about that. And the music. I think a combination of Charles Trenet and the Battle Hymn of the Republic, don't you?'"
Remembering Simon
Brandreth continued: "In the event, you struggled on for two and a half years, with such grace and style and indomitable joie de vivre." He added: "John Wells (who appeared with you in Travels With My Aunt and then followed you all too quickly to the grave) put it perfectly: 'Simon showed us how to live and then taught us how to die.'"
Brandreth concluded: "You will be happy to know you are still remembered - with love by your family and affection by your fans. They've just repeated Hi-de-Hi - again. And a complete stranger got in touch wanting to write your biography - so your story is now in print. Your sons are all grown up and, you may be relieved to hear, neither has gone into the business, but both are doing you proud."
