EastEnders actor Mike Reid dies of a massive heart attack
Mike Reid, the comedian-turned-actor who played Frank Butcher in EastEnders, has died at the age of 67.
He suffered a heart attack after complaining of stomach pains at his home in Marbella, southern Spain.
His wife Shirley and daughter Jane were by his side.
EastEnders co-star Barbara Windsor said: "It's a huge shock - so unexpected. He was a marvellous man, a great actor and a wonderful comedian. He was a great friend and a fine performer. He never stopped making people laugh.
"I went to see his stand-up show last year and he hadn't lost his touch - he was brilliant."
Reid's agent David Hahn said Reid had been given a full medical check-up only two weeks ago and was given a clean bill of health. "We had dinner together. He was in fine fettle."
He added: "Mike was the most down-to-earth man in showbusiness. He was just a normal bloke who would never fall victim to self-importance.
"When I went on tour with him we used to stop and eat in Little Chef restaurants, simply because that's what he liked.
"Mike was a very funny man. He would see the funny side of every situation no matter how black it was. Even now I am sure he is laughing."
The life of Reid, who was born in Hackney, East London, in 1940, was arguably as full of drama as the character for which he was to become associated.
He claimed in his autobiography to have had a criminal past as a member of a notorious London gang,
He would often steal from scrapyards, carry a shotgun and fight with rival gangs.
On one occasion he was arrested after trying to steal a motorbike, narrowly avoiding a long prison stretch.
In the 1960s, he worked as a stunt man for actor Roger Moore on the TV series The Saint as well as films including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Spartacus and Casino Royale.
His comedy career began in clubs and on cruise liners before he appeared in TV shows including Steptoe And Son, Doctor Who and Minder.
In the 1970s he joined Bernard Manning, Frank Carson and others on the stand-up show The Comedians.
But it was not until 1987 that he joined EastEnders for his first stint, which lasted until 1994.
As Frank Butcher, his on-off love affair with Pat Evans was one of the key storylines of the soap.
The characters married in 1989 after they had taken over the Queen Vic pub in Albert Square. But after a breakdown, Frank left Pat and the Square in 1994 - only to return in 1996 when he eventually married Peggy Mitchell - played by Barbara Windsor. He ended up cheating on her - with Pat.
Reid remained on the show until 2000 when he announced that he was leaving permanently. In the same year he appeared in the film Snatch, directed by Madonna's husband Guy Ritchie.
He returned to Albert Square for a guest stint in January 2002 and a spin-off special titled Perfectly Frank in 2003.
He made yet another comeback to EastEnders in early December 2005, but it was only brief and he retired to Spain, where he would play golf three or four times a week. His villa backed on to the course.
He was married twice, first to Sheila in 1958, with whom he had a daughter, Jane.
They divorced in 1967 after which he married Shirley Collins in 1971. They had two sons together, Michael and Mark.
But in 1990, Mark died after setting fire to himself with barbecue fuel following an argument with his partner.
Reid said the death was ultimately down to the fact he had never fully recovered from the trauma of accidentally shooting dead his best friend with a shotgun four years earlier. Four months after Mark's suicide, his 23-weekold daughter Kirsty died in her cot.
In 2000, Reid lost one of his best friends to a heart attack, hours after they had enjoyed a game of golf together. He later said that this moment was a huge reason for him quitting EastEnders that year.
Frank Carson said of Reid's death: "This is devastating. We have just lost our friend Bernard Manning a fortnight ago. Everyone in showbusiness will be shocked. I do not know what to say."
John Yorke, Controller of BBC Drama, said: "Frank Butcher was one of a select group of truly great EastEnders characters and the skill with which Mike Reid played him made him one of the most popular and well-loved of all.
"Frank could break your heart and make you prostrate with laughter - often at the same time.
"Mike's genius was to capture the heart of that flawed dreamer and make generations of viewers love him.
"Albert Square - and British television - will be a far poorer place without him."
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RIP Frank Butcher...