The sad news was confirmed by his family

 star Gary Waldhorn had died aged 78, it has been confirmed. The actor, who was best known for playing David Horton on the BBC comedy series, "peacefully passed away" on Monday, according to his family.

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In a statement, his son Josh said: "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!

Gary Waldhorn sadly passed away on Monday it has been confirmed

"He leaves behind his two grandsons, Cooper and Bayley, and his son Josh. We will all miss him terribly."

He played David Horton on the beloved BBC series

BBC Comedy added: "Gary was an incredibly talented actor who is fondly remembered by us for his numerous appearances on some of the nation's most treasured BBC shows, and of course as councillor David Horton in. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time."

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Gary appeared in every episode of from 1994 to 2007. He last reprised his role as the crotchety councillor in 2020 for alongside Dawn French, who plays the Geraldine Granger, and James Fleet, who plays his on-screen son, Hugo.

Gary's other TV credits include and  as well as comedy sketch show He also provided voiceovers for adverts including for Green Flag, Kwik Fit, Branston and Marmite and was known for his many impressive theatre roles.

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