David Daker dead: Coronation Street and Doctor Who star dies aged 90

David Daker dead: Coronation Street and Doctor Who star dies aged 90 David Daker, who was best known for his role in Boon but also appeared in other television staples like Coronation Street and Doctor Who, has died at the age of 90 David Daker has died at the age of 90. The actor was best known for playing Harry Crawford in the drama series Boon, which he starred in from 1986 until 1995. After a stellar career that consisted of starring in many of Britain's best-loved television programmes, including Doctor Who, Coronation Street and Porridge, David passed away on 30 April. However, his family chose not to release the news until this weekend and they did not provide a cause of death. The star was born as the youngest of five children in Bilston, and whilst he developed a passion for performing at an early age, his parents encouraged him to train for a steady profession instead. He trained as a draughtsman with a company making water softeners, but quickly quit his job and decided to make it in the world of acting after all. David began his career in 1964 with a single-episode appearance in the series Detective, but got his big break through Z-Cars, the staple police drama that ran from 1962 until 1978, in which he played the role of Owen Culshaw. From 1968 until 1985, he appeared sporadically in the roles of Gordon Lewis Basil Griffin on Coronation Street, and was seen in a total of 31 episodes, often sharing scenes with Rovers Return landlady Bet Lynch (Julie Goodyear). In Doctor Who, he played Irongron in The Time Warrior, and Captain Rigg in Nightmare of Eden. He was also known for his part in the sitcom Only Fools and Horses, in which he played the character of Tommy Mackay, who gets into a fight with Del Boy (David Jason) before going onto appear in Porridge as well. Above all though, the star was best known for his role in Boon, in which he played a fireman in the West Midlands opposite Michael Elphick in the title role. His final appearance was a guest role in the now-defunct hospital drama Holby City, which aired in 2009, but he also appeared in other dramas such as Doctors, Heartbeat and Midsomer Murders over the course of his lengthy careers. In 1957, David tied the knot with Stella Newton and they went on to have son Tim together as well as daughter Pippa, who had multiple sclerosis and died in 1997.. Fan instantly flooded social media to share their reactions to the sad news. One fan wrote on X: "Very sad to learn of the death of David Daker. I first knew him as Spiker in Dick Turpin... Sad news. A terrific, natural actor. #DavidDaker..." Another said: "Genuinely gutted David Daker has passed away,superb actor and loved him in Boon... Sad news. A terrific, natural actor. #DavidDaker. He appeared in Dr Who twice, & worked in such TV as Porridge, Rising Damp, Minder, Z Cars, Moonfleet, The Woman In Black, Boon & Hallelujah! He also played Kevin's Dad in Time Bandits." A third wrote: "Farewell, David Daker, who was a great Boon to any drama he appeared in, including Doctor Who. Who else could pull off the line "Ooooooooh... MICE!" like that?" This is a breaking Showbiz news story. You’ll be more likely to see our stories when any big news breaks in future on Google by simply by clicking this link. You can also join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads - or visit The Mirror homepage. You can sign up for Twitter/X alerts for breaking news here and follow us @MirrorCeleb for all the latest updates. Or keep up-to-date with your must-see news, features, videos and pictures by following us on Facebook.