Quintessential Comedy | Devoted to British Comedy

Sadly the death was announced today of actor Brian Wilde, who appeared in British comedy serials for over 30 years.

As co-star in Porridge, Wilde appeared as the “nice” prison officer Mr Barraclough opposite Ronnie Barker, Richard Beckinsale and Fulton Mackay.

However he was marginally more famous for his role as Foggy in Last of the Summer Wine, accompanying Compo (Bill Owen) and Clegg (Peter Sallis) in madcap adventures around the Yorkshire Dales for two stints, in the 1980s and 1990s.  Peter Sallis led tributes:

“He was great fun to be with and to work with, so I’m very, very sorry to hear the news.”

Scriptwriter and creator Roy Clarke:

“He was one of my favourite actors. He was absolutely impeccable with every line.

“You could give him all sorts of convoluted speech and he never made a fluff. A wonderful actor and a very nice man.”

And finally, series producer Alan JW Bell:

“He was perhaps the best of the Summer Wine ‘third men’ - he was the most loved of all the characters.

“He was a fine actor to work with, very professional. He was an old school actor - you turned up, knew your lines and played them the very best you could.

“He had an enormous warmth to the public when he was off the set.

“He didn’t like to hob-nob with the actors - when there was a break, he preferred to go a pub around the corner to meet the real people.”

A sad loss to British comedy.