John Savident Dies: ‘Coronation Street’ Actor Was 86

John Savident, who played the booming voiced Fred Elliott in British soap Coronation Street, has died aged 86.

His agent confirmed his passing in a statement to press, saying: “We are sad to announce the death of the actor John Savident who died on Wednesday 21 February. He was a much-loved husband and father of two and will be sorely missed by all who knew him.”

Savident joined ITV soap in 1994 as a butcher with a disastrous love life. His comic timing and turn of phrase made him one of the long-running program’s most familiar faces before his character was killed off in 2006 after almost 1,000 episodes. His quirk of adding the words, “I say” in between others has been widely parodied in the UK.

The Coronation Street X account shared an image of the actor, and wrote: “Everyone at Coronation Street is deeply saddened to learn of John Savident’s death. As Fred Elliott, John firmly established himself in the pantheon of Coronation Street greats.

“His peerless comic timing, combined with a deep pathos arising from his outstanding dramatic skill, made Fred an unforgettable, iconic character that provided great joy to viewers for many years.”

The actor also appeared in British TV dramas Doctor Who, Holby City and Above Suspicion, and BBC comedy Hotel Babylon. He acted in films such as A Clockwork Orange, Gandhi and Hudson Hawk, and was in the first staging of musical benemoth Phantom of the Opera in 1986, returning to his role as Monsieur Firmin in 2011 for a concert film at the Royal Albert Hall.