Kenneth MacDonald, best known for playing Mike Fisher, the landlord of the Nag's Head in Only Fools and Horses, died suddenly at the age of 50 in 2001. The actor suffered a heart attack while on holiday with his family in Hawaii. He was survived by his wife, Sheila, and their two children, Charlotte and William.
David Jason's tribute
David Jason, famous for his role as Derek "Del Boy" Trotter, paid tribute following the news. "It is a terrible shock," the TV star said. "It is like losing a member of the family, because he was one of the warmest, kindest people that I have had the good fortune to meet in my career."
John Sullivan, the creator of Only Fools and Horses, remembered Kenneth as a "great comedian". Geoffrey Perkins, BBC Head of Comedy at the time, added: "This is a personal tragedy for Ken's family, but also a great sadness for the many fans of Only Fools and Horses. Kenneth bonded the cast together, both in performance and personally."
Career before Only Fools
Before joining the Peckham-set sitcom, Kenneth had already built a successful career. From 1974 to 1981, the Mancunian actor appeared as Gunner 'Nobby' Clark in the BBC series It Ain't Half Hot Mum. He also landed roles in episodes of Last of the Summer Wine, Play for Today, Dad's Army, and The Famous Five.
By 1983, Kenneth had secured a supporting role as Mike in Only Fools and Horses, featuring in around 30 episodes. In later years, he added episodes of Boon, Brookside, Heartbeat, The Thin Blue Line, Touching Evil, David Copperfield, The Sins, and Time Gentlemen Please to his credits.
After his death
Following his death in 2001, Kenneth was written out of Only Fools and Horses in the episode "If They Could See Us Now," which aired in December 2001. In it, the cast mentioned that Mike had gone to prison for embezzlement, leaving café owner Sid to take over. Kenneth had also filmed episodes of Merseybeat, Peak Practice, and The Last Detective before his passing, all of which were released posthumously.
