Benidorm star Kenny Ireland dies
Kenny Ireland has died of cancer, aged 68.
The actor, best known as ageing swinger Donald in hit ITV sitcom Benidorm, had already been written out of the next series of the show following his diagnosis.
Having been put forward for the part by his wife, Meg, Ireland commented: "If your wife gets you a job as a swinger, is she trying to tell you something?"
Also a respected theatre director, Kenny Ireland was Artistic Director of Edinburgh's Royal Lyceum Theatre from 1992 to 2003, who revealed the news of his death earlier today.
Ireland was also known by many as Derek, his character in the hugely popular Acorn Antiques series of sketches from Victoria Wood As Seen On TV.
Other comedy roles included appearances in Drop The Dead Donkey, I, Lovett, Dead Ernest], Life Without George and Lazarus & Dingwall. He had also featured in programmes ranging from Doctors to Taggart, House Of Cards and New Tricks.
Benidorm writer Derren Litten posted on Twitter this afternoon: "We auditioned so many actors for the part of Donald, some v well known. None of them came close to Kenny. RIP amigo."
An ITV spokesperson added: "We are terribly saddened to hear that Kenny Ireland has passed away. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.
"He was a much loved actor, not only by the cast and crew on Benidorm but by the millions of fans out there. He appeared as Donald Stewart in Benidorm from the first episode and helped play a huge part in the show's success. He will be greatly missed."
Benidorm Series 7 will be on screens early in 2015.
Kenny Ireland is survived by his second wife, theatrical agent Meg Poole, children Jack, Henry, Sid and Sam, and step-daughter Augusta.
Here is the third Acorn Antiques sketch, in which Ireland features as Derek: