Peter, who had retired in 2015 after losing his sight to macular
degeneration, passed away peacefully with his family by his side at
Denville Hall, a retirement home for actorsWatch TV legend Peter Sallis as the voice of Wallace
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Peter
Sallis was no spring chicken when he found fame as mild-mannered Clegg
in Last of the Summer Wine in 1973, but he spent 37 years charming the
nation with his escapades on the much-loved show.
Growing old on screen without ever growing up, he aged like a vintage wine.
Clegg’s
antics in the Yorkshire Dales with Bill Owen as Compo, Brian Wilde as
Foggy Dewhurst, and Kathy Staff as Nora Batty, made the show such a
success it became the longest-running sitcom in British TV history.
He
was the last surviving member of that gang of four until his death
today at the age of 96. Bill died aged 85 in 1999, while and Kathy and
Brian passed away in 2008, aged 80 and 81.
Peter also became an
unlikely Hollywood star as the voice of absent-minded inventor Wallace
in the Oscar-winning Wallace and Gromit films.
(Photo: PA Archive)
He played Cleggy in the hit show (Photo: Daily Mirror) Creator Nick Park led the tributest, saying Peter had
“naturally funny bones”. He said: “Working with him was always a delight
and I will miss his wry, unpredictable humour.”
Peter, who had
retired in 2015 after losing his sight to macular degeneration, passed
away peacefully with his family by his side at Denville Hall, a
retirement home for actors in North London.
He may have mastered a
Yorkshire accent for his two most famous characters, but he was
actually born in Twickenham in Middlesex, the only son of banker Harry
and housewife Dorothy.
He had no interest in acting at school and
followed his father into a banking career with Barclays and might have
stayed there for life were it not for the Second World War.
(Photo: Daily Mirror) He joined the RAF, later remarking in his autobiography,
Fading Into The Limelight: “I thought, if I’m going to be killed, I’d
rather be killed sitting down.”
When a blood disorder that could
cause him to black out meant he could no longer fly, he became a
wireless mechanic, then a radio instructor at RAF Cranwell in
Lincolnshire.
It was there Peter caught the acting bug after a pupil offered him the lead in a production of Hay Fever in 1943.
He once said: “When I went on to the stage and spoke the lines, people laughed. That night, in my bunk, I couldn’t sleep.
"I had definitely caught the bug. So I decided that after the war, if I survived it, I would become an actor.”
After being demobbed he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
(Photo: Getty Images Europe) He became a successful stage actor, appearing opposite Judi Dench in Cabaret, as well as Sir Laurence Olivier, and Orson Welles.
When
auditioning Peter for Richard II, John Gielguld told him: “We have two
very beautiful men playing Bushy and Bagot. You might make a good
contrast.”
He also had roles in Z Cars, The Avengers, and Doctor Who.
He
married an actress, Elaine Usher and they had a son, Crispian, before
divorcing in 1965. They later reconciled but split for good in 1983.
Then in 1973, when he already had 25 years of acting experience, he was cast in a pilot for Last of the Summer Wine.
Peter received an OBE in 2007 (Photo: PA) As Norman “Cleggy” Clegg in his familiar flat cap, he was
the only cast member to appear in every episode. Fittingly, he was given
the final words in the last episode in 2010.
He also played Clegg’s father in the prequel First of the Summer Wine in 1988.
Last of the Summer Wine creator Roy Clarke, 87, paid tribute.
He
said: “I admired him enormously, he was a very nice guy. I used to give
him the best lines, because he always knew what to do with them.”
Peter, who was awarded an OBE for services in drama, himself loved the show.
(Photo: Getty Images Europe) He once remarked “It’s basically Wind in the Willows, isn’t
it? It’s like Badger, Ratty and Mole messing about in boats and passing
the time of day.”
It wasn’t all plain sailing. Peter once had to be rescued by Bill Owen.
He
said: “We were going to paddle a canoe towards the bridge and under it.
I approached the director and explained to him, ‘Look, I can’t swim. If
I fall in, I want the entire unit to come to my rescue’.
“In the event it was Bill Owen who saved my life. When we were in the canoe, it started to shudder from front to back.
"I said: ‘We’re going over!’ I kicked out and struck out with everything I’ve got.
"Fortunately,
my left foot hit something hard. I got a purchase and gave a good push,
and I came out of the water like a cork out of a bottle.”
He voiced hapless inventor Wallace in the family favourite (Photo: Press Association) In 1983, Nick Park wrote asking him to be the voice of a clay character called Wallace.
Peter agreed to do it in exchange for a £50 fee to his favourite charity.
It took six years for the first Wallace and Gromit film, A Grand Day Out, to reach the screen.
Nick
said: “He was my first and only choice for Wallace. His silliness
started the moment he greeted you at the door and didn’t stop when the
mic was switched off. He had naturally funny bones and was a great
storyteller.”
The film was nominated for an Oscar and the
follow-ups The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave both became Oscar
winners in 1993 and 1995.
Each of the films also won a Bafta.
(Photo: FilmMagic) Nick said: “I’m so blessed and fortunate Peter had the
generosity of spirit to help out a poor film school student back in the
early 1980s, when neither of us had any idea what Wallace & Gromit
might become.
“It is an absolute honour to have known him.”
Wallace
and Gromit’s first feature-length movie, The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit,
was released in 2005 and when it was nominated for the Best Animated
Feature Oscar, Peter was Nick’s plus one and was there to see the film
win.
Peter said later: “I was so grateful just to be there.”
’Allo ’Allo! star Vicki Michelle, 66, tweeted: “Sad to hear about Peter Sallis. Fabulous actor loved by the nation.”
Shane Allen, controller of comedy commissioning for the BBC, said: “He will be forever fondly remembered.”
The Labour leader was in the North East town with three days to go
until the 2017 general election and he was greeted by a crowd of
thousands. Chants of "Corbyn, Corbyn" were heard throughout the rally
before and after his stump speech.
The Labour leader spoke ine the Sage Performance Square in Gateshead. (Photo: Getty Images Europe)1 of 13
Thousands of people watched Corbyn give a speech after local Labour candidates also addressed the crowds. (Photo: PA)2 of 13
Reports suggested thousands of people couldn't fit into the arena and had to find vantage points outside. (Photo: PA)3 of 13
The Labour leader spoke about his vision for Britain and his plans for government. (Photo: Getty Images Europe)4 of 13
Supporters chanted Mr Corbyn's name as he walked onto the stage. (Photo: PA)5 of 13
A woman holds up a Labour poster next to a military veteran on the front row. (Photo: newcastle chronicle)6 of 13
A homemade banner featuring some of the local lingo. (Photo: newcastle chronicle)7 of 13
A 'hope' sign that summed up the levels of optimism at the rally. (Photo: newcastle chronicle)8 of 13
People from all generations were visible in the crowds. (Photo: newcastle chronicle)9 of 13
Labour's
poll ratings have improved dramatically in recent weeks and they were
just one point behind the Conservatives in one survey at the weekend. (Photo: newcastle chronicle)10 of 13
A television van was parked in the middle of the crowds to broadcast Mr Corbyn's speech. (Photo: newcastle chronicle)11 of 13
The crowd shouted, cheered and sang songs as they waited for the Labour leader. (Photo: newcastle chronicle)12 of 13
A young girl was visibly happy with the atmosphere of the rally.
A mother and her family seen here living in one room of a Liverpool Terrace slum in 1948 (Photo: mirrorpix)
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The NHS is “well and truly at breaking point” after the worst decade of funding since its launch in 1948, experts warn.
Doctors said the squeeze has left patients suffering “unacceptably long delays” for care in a system that “can no longer cope”.
And the Health Foundation stressed that if Theresa May wins on Thursday, the NHS faces a £12.4billion black hole by 2020.
The
independent think-tank says £140.8billion is needed in 2020/21 and even
with the extra cash the Prime Minister is promising, there will be just
£128.4billion.
Professor Anita Charlesworth, Health Foundation
director of research and economics, said: “Since 2010, NHS funding has
not kept pace with demands placed on hospitals and community services.”
A
Health Foundation analysis of official figures for the Daily Mirror
reveals that by 2020/21, the average 10-year percentage increase in
health spending will have dropped to just 1.1%.
Professor Anita Charlesworth says funding has not kept pace with demands All of the major parties have pledged more cash. But
following seven years of Tory cuts, the NHS is now in such a precarious
position none of them would be able to plug the gap by 2020.
Prof
Charlesworth said: “Whoever wins the election, promised spending for
the NHS will still mean this is the decade – 2009/10 to 2020/21 – with
the lowest rate of funding growth in the service’s history.”
The
group analysed pledges in the three major party manifestos and found by
2020/21, the NHS faces a funding gap of £7billion under Labour and
£9.2billion under the Lib Dems.
And it warned that the Tories would heap even more cuts on their £12.4billion gap.
Jeremy Corbyn slams Theresa May's Tory team for 'fibbing to the British people' about Brexit
Protesters march with banners and placards against private companies' involvement in the National Health Service (Photo: AFP) Prof Charlesworth, a former director of public spending at
the Treasury, said: “Under Conservatives plans, funding would not match
demand and cost pressure. A £12billion gap by 2020/21 would require the
NHS to continue to deliver major efficiency savings.”
The waiting
list for NHS treatment soared to 3.7million this year, up from
2.4million in 2010. And the gold standard of 95% of patients being seen
within four hours at A&E has been missed every single month since
July 2015.
The NHS faces a funding gap of £7billion under Labour and £9.2billion under the Lib Dems (Photo: Getty) Dr Mark Porter, chair of the British Medical Association
and Britain’s most senior doctor, said: “The NHS is struggling to cope
with unprecedented rising demand against a backdrop of crippling
financial restraint.
“Cuts to acute beds and chronic underfunding
of health and social care has resulted in patients facing unacceptably
long delays, compromising the safety and quality of care patients
receive.
Doctors despair of the situation in the NHS (Photo: Getty Images) “With bed occupancy at record highs and patients unable to
reliably access general practice, the NHS is well and truly at breaking
point. Our health and social care systems can no longer cope without
urgent action.
“We are asking whoever wins the next election to,
as a minimum, immediately bring investment in line with other leading
European countries and outline credible, long-term plans.”
Dr
Porter also warned we are “going backwards” on public health and
£200million of cuts to budgets mean we face a public health “ticking
time bomb”.
Experts agree that investing in public health is
cost-effective as it means the NHS does not have to treat conditions
like obesity and smoking-related illnesses. But budgets face £400million
of further cuts up to 2020/21.
Labour will invest more in the service (Photo: AFP) Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has pledged an extra
£8billion for the NHS and argued investment depends on a strong economy,
with Theresa May best-placed to negotiate a good Brexit deal.
But analysis of the Tory manifesto shows spending plans for 2017/18 will not change from the current goal to spend £124billion.
Under Labour, spending in 2017/18 would rise to £130billion.
Shadow
Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “The choice is clear:
substantial investment in the NHS with Labour, or more of the same under
the Tories – a big funding squeeze and deteriorating standards of
care.”
Lib Dem Shadow Health Secretary Norman Lamb said: “These
figures show our NHS can’t take another five years of Conservative
underfunding. We will put a penny on income tax to raise an extra
£6billion for the NHS and care.”
Space
is a scary place, and nothing makes it look more terrifying than these
movies. WatchMojo presents the top 10 movies that will make you afraid
of outer space! But what film will take the top spot on our list? The
classic Alien, Sunshine, or Gravity? Watch to find out!
Big thanks to Godslayer79 for suggesting this idea, and to see how WatchMojo users voted, check out the suggest page here: http://www.watchmojo.com/suggest/Top+...
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The adventurous creature is now recovering from dehydration after he was discovered in a Lanarkshire shop.
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ByRecord Reporter
10:49, 2 JUN 2017
News
The lizard was dehydrated when he was found by supermarket staff (Photo: UGC SSPCSA)
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Stunned supermarket staff found an adventurous lizard -- hiding in a broccoli head.
The Iberian wall lizard was discovered by workers under the cellophane wrap in which the vegetable had been wrapped.
The reptile was dehydrated but is now being nursed back to health by animal welfare officers who retrieved him from the Lanarkshire store on May 11.
CI Fiona Henderson, from the Scottish SPCA, said: "The poor wee guy was dehydrated but otherwise unharmed from his adventures.
"As he's not a native reptile. Brock couldn't be rehomed like our normal rescues.
"In
this case, he's gone to live in a multi-habitat vivarium at the
Scottish Exotic Animal Rescue centre with reptile expert Nick Martin.
"The
vivarium is designed to mimic Brock's habitat as closely as possible
and it seems he's settled in perfectly well despite his broccoli
ordeal."
Seven people are feared dead after a van ploughed into pedestrians on
the bridge and a stabbing took place at nearby Borough Market
The devastating terrorist attack in central London is the latest in a string of deadly attacks across the UK.
It
comes less than a fortnight after the suicide bombing at the Ariana
Grande concert in Manchester which killed 22 people - the worst terror
attack in Britain for a decade.
Below, we list the terror atrocities that have rocked the country. May 22, 2017:
Twenty two people - including children - are killed and around 59 injured during a suspected terrorist bombing at a pop concert in Manchester.
Lone suicide bomber Salman Abedi
detonated an improvised explosive device as crowds of music fans, many
of them youngsters, left the Manchester Arena following a performance by
US artist Ariana Grande.
Victims lie on the ground of Manchester Arena's foyer after the bombing (Photo: PA)
Manchester Arena terror attack in pictures: Scenes of horror and the heroes who saved lives
View gallery
March 22, 2017:
Five people are killed when an Islamist extremist launched a car and knife attack in central London .
Khalid Masood
drove a hired car over Westminster Bridge, near the Houses of
Parliament, mounted the pavement and hit pedestrians before crashing
into railings outside the Palace of Westminster.
He stabbed Pc
Keith Palmer, 48, to death and also killed US tourist Kurt Cochran,
Romanian tourist Andreea Cristea, 31, and Britons Aysha Frade, 44, and
75-year-old Leslie Rhodes. Masood was shot dead by police.
Suspect Khalid Masood is transported to hospital after the Westminster attacks - he later died (Photo: PA)June 16, 2016:
Labour MP Jo Cox is murdered outside her constituency office in Batley, West Yorkshire.
The
mother of two, 41, was shot and stabbed multiple times by right-wing
extremist Thomas Mair. He was later handed a whole-life prison sentence
for her murder.
Jo Cox (Photo: PA)December 5, 2015:
A lone attacker
attempts to behead a passenger during an Islamic State-inspired rampage
in the ticket hall of Leytonstone Underground station in east London.
Somali-born
Muhiddin Mire targeted strangers at random during the attack before
slashing fellow passenger Lyle Zimmerman, 56, with a knife.
The
schizophrenic was sent to Broadmoor Hospital after being given a life
sentence with a minimum term of eight years for attempted murder. May 22, 2013:
Fusilier Lee Rigby is murdered by Islamic extremists Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale.
The
25-year-old serviceman was walking near his barracks in Woolwich,
south-east London, when the pair rammed him with a car before attempting
to hack off his head with knives.
The killers were jailed for life at the Old Bailey in February 2014.
Lee Rigby was murdered by Islamic extremists (Photo: PA)June 30, 2007:
Two men inspired
by Islamist extremism ram a 4x4 laden with petrol and propane tanks into
the main terminal of Glasgow Airport. One of the attackers died in the
incident and five people were injured. July 7, 2005:
Four suicide bombers kill 52 and injure hundreds of others in blasts on the London Underground network and a bus.
Twenty
six died in the bombing at Russell Square on the Piccadilly line, six
in the bombing at Edgware Road on the Circle line, seven in the bombing
at Aldgate on the Circle line, and 13 in the bombing on a bus at
Tavistock Square.
Watch NextSadiq Khan says terrorists won't change our way o
Witness describes knifemen stabbing victims at Borough Market
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Ariana Grande has said she is "praying for London " ahead of the benefit concert for the Manchester terror attack victims.
The American star is due to return to the stage for the first time on Sunday night after suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated a device, killing 22 of her fans and parents as they left her show at the Manchester Arena on May 22.
The
One Love Manchester event will take place less than 24 hours after six
people died in the London Bridge attack - the country's second terrorist
outrage in less than two weeks.
Grande tweeted an emoji of a heart, and wrote: "Praying for London." Follow the latest updates on the London Bridge terror attack here
(Photo: PA)
(Photo: @ArianaGrande/Twitter) Other musicians including Justin Bieber, Katy Perry,
Coldplay, Take That and Miley Cyrus are to join Grande for the Sunday
night event.
Many of those attending the concert were in the crowd at Grande's show on May 22.
Grande
has visited victims of the attack at the Royal Manchester Children's
Hospital ahead of the show, where she will also be joined by Robbie
Williams, Little Mix, Usher, Pharrell Williams and One Direction star
Niall Horan.
(Photo: REUTERS) Proceeds from the concert will go towards the We Love
Manchester Emergency Fund, set up by Manchester City Council in
partnership with the British Red Cross, to support grieving families and
victims of the bombing.
On Saturday, it was confirmed that the fund had reached £7.2 million.
All
Grande fans who attended the targeted gig were offered free passes to
Sunday's benefit concert regardless of where they bought their tickets.
More than 10,000 people applied for free tickets to the concert last week despite not attending the pop star's targeted gig.
Ticketmaster
set aside tickets for the 14,200 people who were at the Manchester
Arena concert, but more than 25,000 people applied to attend the event.
Video Loading
Watch NextBalloons fill the sky in beautiful tribute to tee
Manchester terror victims describe the deadly explosion
The £40 tickets that went on sale for the show at the Old Trafford cricket ground were snapped up in less than 20 minutes.
It later emerged that some were looking to cash in on the tragedy by selling tickets online at inflated prices.
One eBay seller was trying to offload four tickets to the gig for £1,250 - which would net a potential profit of nearly £1,100.
The listing was taken down shortly after being seen by the Press Association.
Victims of Manchester Arena terror attack
View gallery
Major secondary ticketing sites Seatwave, Get Me In, Viagogo
and Stubhub pledged to not allow the reselling of tickets on their
websites, while eBay said it would immediately remove any listings
attempting to profit unfairly from the terror attack.
The live final of Britain's Got Talent was moved to Saturday night so as not to clash with the benefit.
The
event will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC
Radio 5 live, and BBC Radio Manchester, as well as commercial radio.
Millions
of people around the world will also be able to watch as the concert
will be simulcast in more than 50 countries across five continents. The One Love Manchester Concert will be shown on BBC One from 6.55pm
