Emmerdale and The Archers legend dies aged 85
Former Emmerdale and The Archers star Eric Allan, who portrayed Frank Blakey in the ITV soap, has died aged 85.
Former Emmerdale star Eric Allan has died aged 85.
The late actor portrayed blacksmith Frank Blakey - who owned and worked at Beckindale Forge - from 1972 and 1974 when the ITV soap was known as Emmerdale Farm.
Eric's alter-ego is part of Emmerdale's history, after Frank married Janie Harker - who was played by Diane Grayson - in March 1973, which was the soap's first-ever wedding.
Frank played havoc in the village by opposing hunting, and he also refused to shoe any horses ridden in the local hunt.
After departing the show a year later, Eric went on to voice Bert Fry - taking over from Roger Hume - in BBC Radio 4 soap opera The Archers.
He portrayed Bert for 24 years, from 1997 to 2021.
According to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Eric said of Bert in 2021: "His was a handmade world: make do and mend, cobble it up with baling twine, keep stuff for a rainy day.
"I always imagined he still had the suit he was married in, 60 years ago. Continuity and resilience were all.
"He’s the character the production team tend to turn to if the storylines are getting too depressing and a bit of light relief is called for."
Bert's wife Freda, who was the cook at the local pub, The Bull, wasn't ever heard in The Archers.
But Eric always had a "strong feeling of her presence".
He said: "She’s never been silent for me. I’ve always had a strong impression of her as a real person.
"It’s not a visual image, it’s emotional - a very strong feeling of her presence."
What's more, Eric spent several years with the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he worked alongside director Mike Leigh.
He played the lead character, Peter, in Leigh's directorial debut, controversial comedy-drama Bleak Moments, which told the story of a dysfunctional life of a young secretary.
The movie - which was based on a stage play - left critics divided over its style, but The Guardian called the film: "A striking and entirely original first feature."
Eric is survived by his wife Susan, their son and their daughter.
