John Thaw’s daughter shares tribute to late actor on his 81st birthday after his death from cancer

John Thaw’s daughter remembered the late actor on what would have been his 81st birthday.

The Inspector Morse star died at the age of 60 in February 2002 after a battle with oesophageal cancer.

His daughter Abigail, 57, took to Twitter on Tuesday to share a tribute to him, posting a photo of the two of them and writing: “I would have been 81 today.”

‘Happy Birthday Dad. Not a day goes by…’

John’s wife, Sheila Hancock, released a statement at the time of his death, saying: ‘John died with his family around him.

“We have all been so grateful for the thousands of letters and messages from people wishing him well.

“Everyone, including the media, has been wonderful during this difficult period and I would like to let everyone know how much their support and understanding has meant to him and all of us.”

John, who became a CBE in 1993, watched Sheila herself battle breast cancer 13 years before her death.

He had been cared for at the couple’s home in Luckington, near Chippenham, Wiltshire, before his death.

Leading the tributes was ITV Channel Director David Liddiment, who said: “Throughout his distinguished career, John understood the power of the small screen.

“He was an accomplished television actor and captured the imagination of millions of viewers.

‘He will be missed. Our thoughts are with Sheila and her family.’

Television producer Ted Childs, who worked with John for almost 30 years on Morse, The Sweeney and other shows, said: “John was just as he has been during his illness: very positive, funny and self-effacing.”

Even in the last few weeks, when he was clearly not doing great, he was eager to get back to work and had a great sense of humor.

John was “a pretty private person” who shunned the limelight despite the attention his immense success brought, Ted said.

“He wasn’t someone who was desperate for show business recognition. He was very much a family man.

He added: “It’s pretty devastating, obviously for his family, but also for those of us who knew him and worked with him over the years.”

Actress Sarah Lancashire, who starred opposite John in the ITV drama The Glass, said he was a “national treasure” and would be “sorely missed”.

The former Coronation Street star said: “It was a privilege to have worked with John, but even greater to have known him, even briefly, as a friend.”

Clive Jones, chief executive of Carlton, which made Inspector Morse, Goodnight Mister Tom and Kavanagh QC, said John was “one of the great actors of his generation”.

“It was universally the viewers’ choice,” he said.

“He will be remembered for his outstanding work on stage and television, but most of all for setting new standards in TV movies with Inspector Morse.”

Rada-trained John landed his first film role in 1962 in the landmark film The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner.

He was catapulted to stardom in 1974 as the tough DI Jack Regan in the gritty cop series The Sweeney, and a spin-off film won the Evening Standard Award for Best Film Actor of the Year in 1977.

John, who also played roles in the West End and in Shakespeare’s theatre, became known for building strong characters like Kavanagh and Morse.

He played Morse for 13 years before the gruff, opera-loving Oxford detective was finally murdered in 2000.

He has also acted in several short series like Monsignor Renard and one-off dramas like Buried Treasure.

Sheila, whom he married in 1973, also lost her first husband, Alec Ross, to esophageal cancer in 1971.