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In Pictures: Remarkable career of beloved actor Bernard Cribbins

The star of The Railway Children, Doctor Who and many other films and TV shows has died at the age of 93.

PA Reporters
Thursday 28 July 2022 04:54 EDT
Bernard Cribbins (PA)
Bernard Cribbins (PA) (PA Archive)

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The late Bernard Cribbins’ career spanned seven decades, ranging from memorable roles in The Railway Children and Fawlty Towers to narrating several stories for the classic children’s series Jackanory.

One of the most familiar faces on British television, he became famous for a new generation of viewers as recurring character Wilfred Mott in the revamped Doctor Who – more than four decades after he appeared in the movie Daleks – Invasion Earth 2150 AD alongside Peter Cushing.

As well as finding time to make novelty records including the top 10 hit Right Said Fred, Cribbins was a children’s television fixture, narrating The Wombles in the 1970s and also playing the title role in Old Jack’s Boat on CBeebies in recent years.

Here, we take a look back at a remarkable showbusiness career:

He could turn his hand to virtually any aspect of showbusiness, from Shakespeare to pantomime, from soap operas to pop music.

His diverse talents ensured he was always in demand, regardless of whether the role called for a straight or comedic performer, and during the 1970s and ’80s he was never far from TV screens.

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