EastEnders star Nicholas Ball has passed away at the age of 78.
Ball was known for portraying gang lord Terry Bates in the popular BBC soap, where his character is remembered for assailing Peggy Mitchell – played by Barbara Windsor – and causing havoc in the iconic Queen Victoria pub. He also appeared in Footballers’ Wives, where he took on the role of Garry Ryan, the club chairman and a former rockstar.
His agent revealed in a statement that Ball had “passed away following a short illness” and noted that his acting career, which spanned theatre and the small screen, was impressively long-standing, spread across six decades.
Fans have since taken to social media to pay tribute, with one writing: “RIP Nicholas Ball. Loved him in Hazell.” A second went on to write: “R.I.P. Nicholas Ball superb as Hazell on tv in the 70s books adapted and co-written by Terry Venables…” “R.I.P. Nicholas Ball,” wrote a third with a sad-faced emoji.
He carved out a niche in crime dramas, playing the lead in Hazell – a series about a cockney ex-policeman turned private detective named James “Jim” Hazell. This character was brought to life by Gordon Williams and footballer Terry Venables, who co-authored the books using the pseudonym PB Yuill.
His television credits extended to crime shows such as Jonathan Creek, Hustle, Heartbeat and Bergerac. He also displayed his versatility featuring in comedies like Red Dwarf and The Young Ones, and the drama The Crezz.
Adding to his diverse portfolio, Ball secured roles in various film projects, including Overlord (a war drama); Rogue Male (a thriller); crime drama The Krays: Dead Man Walking; and an adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous.
Most recently, Ball worked on the drama, The Kingdom By The Sea, set to release in 2024. He starred alongside Coronation Street actress Rula Lenska in this rural-based story.
His wife Ayda survives him. Ball was previously married to comedian Sir Billy Connolly’s second wife, Pamela Stephenson, a comedy actress-turned-therapist whom he met on the set of Not The Nine O’Clock News.
