The Archers star Ian Pepperell dies aged 53

Ian Pepperell has died at the age of 53.

The actor had played the the role of Roy Tucker in the radio soap opera 'The Archers', for 22 years but passed away on Friday (22.12.23) following a long illness, the BBC has confirmed.

Jeremy Howe, the editor of the long-running radio drama, said: “He loved being part of an ensemble, relished the camaraderie and gossip of the green room, and had a seemingly effortlessly fine tuned vocal technique. Like all the very best radio actors he could think on his feet and change the way he played a scene in the blink of an eye.

"Thanks to Ian’s brilliance, he created in Roy a character who managed to face in two directions simultaneously in almost every scene he played. He captured Roy as both genial and anxious, funny and sad, easy-going and permanently stressed – a man who could hold down with ease a top job, yet who always carried with him Hamlet’s sense of failure. It all made perfect sense because of Ian’s uncanny and laser-guided ability to find humour in the emotional scenes, and find pathos in the comedy that he always played so unerringly well."

The soap editor went on to add that Ian's death is a "tragedy" because he seemed to have had so much more to give as ne noted that cast, crew and listeners will "miss him dearly."

He said: "Ian had a lot more gas in the tank and was desperate to return to Ambridge once his health permitted. It is tragic that he died in his prime, we will miss him dearly and our hearts go out to his family and friends and everyone who knew him. Ambridge loved Roy – The Archers and our millions of listeners loved Ian’s Roy Tucker."

Outside of the sho, the actor owned the Star Inn in Hampshire with his wife Nikki and she was also quick to pay tribute to her husband following the announcement of his death on Saturday.

She wrote on Facebook: "It is with the heaviest of hearts that I must tell you all, that Ian – left this world today – in peace, his way. As I, and all of the closest to him knew he would."

Ian's co-star Grahm Seed noted in a message he posted in the comments of Nikki's post what a "privilege" it had been to work with her late husband for so many years.

He wrote: "Such sad news. I was privileged to have Ian as a loyal friend since we met working on The Archers all those years ago. Bright witty and such fun to be with - and such a talented actor. RIP dear man."

Other than his role in 'The Archers', Ian had guest-starred on 'EastEnders' in the late 1990s and appeared in an episode of 'Pie in the Sky'.