The actor Ray Brooks, best known for his role in EastEnders and narrating the children’s TV show Mr Benn, has died, aged 86.

Brooks, who enjoyed a career in TV that spanned five decades, reportedly died with his loved ones at his bedside following a short illness.

In a statement, Brooks’ sons, Will and Tom, said: “His three true loves were family (he also had a daughter Emma, who died in 2003), Fulham Football Club, and spending time in Brighton, where he was born.”

They added that his association with Mr Benn would see “people continually asking him to say the catchphrase ‘as if by magic!’” The popular animated show, which premiered in 1971, followed the bowler-hatted character, who goes on different adventures each episode via a magical fancy dress shop.

Brooks’ sons added: “Although only 13 episodes were made, they were repeated twice a year for 21 years.”

The statement revealed that the actor died peacefully on Saturday (8 August). His family also said that Brooks had spent the last few years of his life living with dementia.

Beyond Mr Benn, Brooks appeared on Coronation Street, playing Norman Philips on the ITV soap during the 1960s. Meanwhile, he played a significant role on EastEnders in the 2000s, as Joe Macer, who infamously killed his wife, Pauline Fowler, in 2006.

One of his most critically acclaimed roles came early in his career when he played the father figure, Reg, in Ken Loach’s gritty 1966 TV film Cathy Come Home, which tackled the housing shortage in the UK at the time.

He also starred in the BBC comedy drama Big Deal, which followed gambler Robbie Box as he tried to make a living by betting while also trying to maintain his relationship with Jan, played by Sharon Duce. The two were later reunited in the BBC drama Growing Pains about a young couple who decide to become foster parents.

Another hit came in the form of the ITV sitcom Running Wild where he played a former Teddy Boy experiencing a midlife crisis.

Brooks earned himself a number of film credits during his career, including a role in Richard Lester’s The Knack… And How To Get It, which won the 1965 Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

His distinctive voice also saw him serve as the narrator on other shows such as The Pickwick Papers and Jackanory. He also provided voiceovers for countless adverts, including Guinness and Marmite.

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