COMEDY actor Richard Briers of hit TV series The Good Life has died age 79.
The actor, who was patron of the Friends of the Theatre Royal in Newcastle and appeared many times on its stage, announced he was suffering from the lung disease emphysema 12 months ago.
He died peacefully at his home in London yesterday (Sunday).
In his foreword to the recently-published A New Short History of the Theatre Royal, he called the theatre “the finest in the country” and had often been described by Philip Bernays, theatre chief executive as a 'loyal' supporter and friend of the arts in Newcastle.
Although best known as his character Tom Good in The Good Life, he also starred in Ever Decreasing Circles and Monarch of the Glen as well as tackling many serious theatre roles.
