Coronation Street star Duggie Brown has died at the age of 82

Coronation Street star Duggie Brown has died at the age of 82.

The comedian’s passing was announced by his manager Lee Morgan on Tuesday, tweeting that he passed away with his ‘wife Jackie by his side’

Duggie, who starred in Coronation Street in three separate unrelated roles, made his most recent appearance on the soap earlier this year as Ted Spear, but was best known for an array of comedy roles in a career that spanned five decades.

Lee tweeted: It is with a heavy heart I share the news the very talented comedian and actor Duggie Brown passed away this morning with his wife Jackie by his side.

‘What an honour it was to work with Duggie. A born entertainer who loved his profession. RIP Duggie Brown. We love and salute you.’

Comedian Tommy Cannon was among those to pay tribute, tweeting: ‘Really sad to hear about the passing of Duggie Brown, Rest in peace pal, what a funny funny man- thinking of all your friends and family.’

Actor Neil Hurst also wrote: ‘Beyond sad to hear that my ol’ pal Duggie Brown has passed away.

‘One of my very first telly jobs was with Duggie back in 1997 and I was lucky to appear in so many shows with him since. Genuinely one of the nicest and funniest guys in the business.’

Born in Rotherham in 1940, one of Duggie’s earliest roles came in Ken Loach’s 1969 classic Kes where he played a milkman alongside his sister Lynne Perrie, who went onto become a huge soap star on Corrie as Ivy Tilsley.

Lynne played Ivy from 1971 to 1994 before leaving the soap, and she died in 2006 at the age of 74. 

Duggie starred in an array of comedy shows throughout his career, including light entertainment programme The Good Old Days from 1971 to 1980, and Granada Television’s The Comedians.

He went onto star as lab technician Phil Strong in detective series The Enigma Files in the 1980s, and appeared in comedy series The Glamour Girls.

Duggie also had roles in shows including All Creatures Great And Small, Heartbeat, Hotel Babylon, EastEnders, Holby City, My Brother’s Keeper, The Glamour Girls, The Good Old Days, House of Cards, and Still Open All Hours. 

In 2002 he also appeared opposite Martin Clunes and Keeley Hawes in the thriller A Is For Acid, which was based on the life of serial killer John George Haigh.  

Duggie also played three separate characters on Corrie over the span of 25 years, first playing The Hour Glass bar owner George Freeman in 1997, who became known for rarely visiting the premisis, leaving Liz McDonald to do the work.

After turning up to the bar one night following ‘business,’ Liz learned George had been meeting recently-released gangster Fraser Henderson, who purchased the bar from him outright.

In 2004 Duggie then returned to the soap as Bernie Cooper, the husband of Honor Blackman’s character Rula Romanoff, a friend of Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox).

Rita’s friend Norris (Malcolm Hebden) was instantly taken with Rula, and was visibly disappointed to see that she was married, but soon perked up when he and Rita were invited over to her house.

However Rita was horrified when Bernie let himself into her room and climbed into her bed, and she soon realised she and Norris were at a swinger’s party, when she found him pinned to a bed by Rula.

Fleeing the house, the two friends vowed they would never discuss the experience again. 

In January 2022 Duggie then made his third Corrie appearance as elderly Ted Spear, a man who was run over by Faye Windass and Brooker.

Ted quickly got up after being hit and reassured the girls that he was fine, but when they returned to his house the next day, they found him dead in his chair.