John Savident: Coronation Street's Fred Elliott dies aged 86

Actor John Savident, best known for playing Fred Elliott in Coronation Street, has died aged 86, his agent has announced. The actor was famous for his booming voice while playing the local butcher on the ITV soap.

His co-star Sue Nicholls, who played love interest Audrey Roberts, said she was "very sad" to hear of his death. "My memories of working with you dear John on the street are a joy, and always will be," she added. "God bless you and thank you for being in my life. Much love to you and your friends and family." Savident joined the Manchester-based soap in 1994, and quickly became a favourite with viewers thanks to his huge personality and loud voice. His storylines involved his disastrous love life, including three marriages and several failed proposals.

A secret son, Ashley Peacock (played by Steven Arnold), also arrived on the show and the two later developed a close bond as they worked as butchers together. Savident's character was killed off in 2006, suffering a stroke on the day he was supposed to marry Bev Unwin (Susie Blake). Elliott's death also saw Roberts, his former romantic interest, confess she still loved him following her turning down his proposal of marriage years previously. The butcher's other previous wives were Maureen Holdsworth (Sherrie Hewson) and barmaid Eve Sykes (Melanie Kilburn). One of Elliott's most distinctive character traits was that he often said things twice, usually inserting the words "I say" between them - for example: "Best of British is that, I say best of British." Even in his death scene, Elliott said to Unwin "Be happy, I say, be happy".read more...