Richard Briers, a British actor famous for his appearances both on stage and television, has died after suffering complications from emphysema. He was 79 years old.

Briers was perhaps best known for his role on television’s “The Good Life”, but he also did quite a bit of voiceover work and helped bring characters to life on the popular kid’s show “Roobarb And Custard” in the ’70s. His agent, Christopher Farrar, said, “He has a unique and special place in the hearts of so many. He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and deepest sympathy go to his family at this sad time.”

Briers spoke of his illness recently, admitting he had battled it for years.

“It’s totally my fault,” he said. “So, I get very breathless, which is a pain in the backside. Trying to get upstairs… oh God, it’s ridiculous. Of course, when you’re bloody nearly 80 it’s depressing, because you’ve had it anyway.”

Briers is being remembered today as a consummate professional in the business as his friends and colleagues mourn their loss.

“You will hear a lot of people saying a lot of marvellous things about Richard, and let me assure you, they are all true,” co-star Penelope Keith said. “He was a gentleman, he was a wonderful actor, very, very generous and one of the charming things about Richard was he was so self-depricating.”

Image: BBC News