Vicar of Dibley star Gary Waldhorn who played Councillor David Horton in the show dies at 78
Vicar of Dibley star Gary Waldhorn who played Councillor David Horton in the show dies at 78
Gary Waldhorn has passed away at the age of 78, his family have saidActor was best known for role of Councillor David Horton in Vicar of DibleyHe also featured in hit shows The Sweeney, Brush Strokes and Hotel BabylonFamily say he leaves a ‘legacy of entertainment’ after death on Monday
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Vicar of Dibley star Gary Waldhorn has died at the age of 78.
The actor was best known for playing the role of Councillor David Horton in the hugely popular series alongside Dawn French from 1994 to 2007.
Mr Walhorn’s son, Josh, said he ‘peacefully passed away’ at 6.45am on Monday.
Paying tribute, he added: ‘Classically trained, it was the theatre where he truly flourished and he leaves a legacy of entertainment that saw him frequent the boards of Broadway, the West End and our living rooms on the telly!
‘He leaves behind his two grandsons, Cooper and Bayley and his son Josh. We will all miss him terribly.’
Mr Waldhorn most recently appeared in The Vicar of Dibley Christmas special during lockdown, but has also appeared in a number of classic British TV shows such as The Sweeney, Brush Strokes and Hotel Babylon, and even featured in comedy sketch show French And Saunders.
He also provided voiceovers for adverts including for Green Flag, Kwik Fit, Branston and Marmite.
Dawn French lead the tributes paid today, sharing a picture of Mr Waldhorn and a broken heart.
Gary Waldhorn at the aftershow party for Bad Girls the Musical at Sugar Reef in London in 2011
Mr Waldhorn as Councillor David Horton in the Vicar of Dibley, pictured with co-stars Emma Chambers and Dawn French
Gary Waldhorn pictured alongside Emma Chambers as Alice and Dawn French as Geraldine
A statement from the BBC Comedy team said: ‘Gary was an incredibly talented actor who is fondly remembered by us for his numerous appearances on some of the nations most treasured BBC shows, and of course as Councillor David Horton in The Vicar Of Dibley.
‘Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.’
Mr Waldhorn was an accomplished Shakespearean actor and had performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company including in Much Ado About Nothing.
His theatre roles included Good for the RSC in 1981, which went to Broadway the following year, while he also starred alongside David Tennant in Black Comedy in the West End in 1998.
The Vicar of Dibley cast, pictured from left to right: John Bluthal, James Fleet, Dawn French, Emma Chambers, Gary Waldhorn, Roger Lloyd Pack and Trevor Peacock
He also played the role in Henry IV at the Old Vic, telling the BBC: ‘I liked acting as a child and I remember as a first-former in London we were given tickets to the Old Vic to see a Shakespeare play.
‘I saw Richard Burton play Henry V and my life changed. I came home and said I wanted to be a Shakespearian actor.’
He becomes the sixth member of the Vicar of Dibley cast to have sadly died in recent years.
Trevor Peacock, who played Jim Trott in the comedy series, died at the age of 89 in March last year.
Trevor Peacock played the role of Jim Trott in the series. He passed away aged 89 last year. Liz Smith died aged 95 in December 2016. She was an instant hit with viewers as Letitia Cropley
Emma Chambers was best known as Alice Tinker in the comedy. She died aged 53 in 2018. Roger Lloyd Pack, who starred Trigger in Only Fools and Horses, died at the age of 69 in 2014
John Bluthal, who played the bumbling Frank Pickle, passed away in 2018 when he was 89
The actor suffered from dementia in later life.
Roger Lloyd Pack, who also starred in Only Fools and Horses, died at the age of 69 in 2014, while John Bluthal passed away in 2018 when he was 89.
Emma Chambers, who played the role of Alice Tinker, died of natural causes aged 53 in 2018.
Liz Smith died aged 95 in December 2016. She was an instant hit with viewers as Letitia Cropley in the BBC series.
