Doctor Who and Coronation Street star William Russell dies aged 99 as tributes pour in
Doctor Who icon William Russell has sadly died at the age of 99 and tributes for the late actor have began to pour in.
William was part of the original cast of Doctor Who and joined back in 1963 as the prominent role as Ian Chesterton opposite Doctor Who’s William Hartnell. The actor then later returned to the show in 2022 for a cameo in special episode The Power of the Doctor, 57 years after his character’s last appearance.
This short appearance ended up being one for history as the then-98-year-old broke a world record for the longest gap between TV appearances.
However, William first rose to fame in 1956 in the ITV series The Adventures of Sir Lancelot, before joining the BBC sci-fi show. He also held roles in The Great Escape, 1978 film Superman and as Ted Sullivan in Coronation Street.
Sadly, according to The Guardian, Russell died yesterday (June 3) but no cause of death has been confirmed yet.
It's thought that William is survived by his second wife Etheline - who he tied the knot with in 1984 - and their son Alfred, as well as his children from his first marriage, Vanessa, Laetitia and Robert, and four grandchildren. William's son Alfred has followed in his footsteps as an actor, playing Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter movies.
Aside from being one of the four original cast members of Doctor Who, William also played a recurring role as Tom Preston in Harriet’s Back In Town and more recently appeared in an episode of Agatha Christie: Poirot.
Fans have now paid tribute to Russell on social media, with Doctor Who star Nicole Bryant, who played the character of Peri Brown between 1984 to 1986, leading the way.:
She wrote: "What sad news to say farewell to William Russell. What a wonderful man with a delightful family an extraordinary life & career. The most charming smile and twinkling eyes, he always lit up the room. I hope there will be many celebrations of this beautiful man.#RIPWilliamRussell."
Actor and writer Nicholas Pegg added: "Raising a glass to William Russell, who has left us just a few months shy of his 100th birthday. Already a star when he became a crucial part of Doctor Who's genesis, his long and remarkable career embraced everything from Shakespeare to Blackadder. A fine actor and a lovely man."
Fan David said: "William Russell what a wonderful wonderful man he was. He appeared in the very first episode and came back in Power of the Doctor (Oh how we all cried when he appeared). He was genuinely one of the nicest, sweetest, kindest man you could meet. We’ve lost a Dr Who giant."
