The actor Barry Howard behind one of British comedy’s campest characters Barry Stuart-Hargreaves in Hi-De-Hi! has passed away at the age of 78.
The actor Barry Howard has passed away at the age of 78. He died from blood cancer. The actor’s harry Clark agent confirmed the news to the BBC.
Taking to Twitter she said that she would miss him more than she could say.
My lovely friend and client Barry Howard has passed to Spirit today. I will miss him more than I can say. RIP lovely man.
— Sharry Clark (@SharryClark) April 28, 2016
Mr.Howard appeared in the first seven series of Hi-de-Hi! which ran from 1980-86, he played a camp married ballroom dancer.
The character Barry Stuart-Hargreaves was often the source of ‘is he or isn’t he’ gay jokes on the sitcom. It was never confirmed whether the character was gay or not and Mr Howard left the show after seven series.
During an interview with The Northern Echo in 2010, he said,
“I have found it, in all honesty, frustrating because I am, after all, an actor. Casting people always wanted a similar limp-wristed rather fey ‘is he or isn’t he?’ character and I got bored with it all,”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQfq8fzeNFY
His on-screen wife Diane Holland also died at the age of 78 in 2009.
The actor had performed alongside Chris Jarvis in pantos in Bournemouth. Today the CBEEBIES presenter tweeted a tribute the actor calling him a ‘real gent’ and ‘incredibly funny’.
So sad to hear Barry Howard has died. A real gent & incredibly funny off stage too. Happy days in Bournemouth with him & Su Pollard
— Chris Jarvis (@realchrisjarvis) April 28, 2016
