Ray Brooks Death – The British entertainment world is mourning the loss of Ray Brooks, the much-loved actor whose voice brought life to the cherished 1970s children’s series Mr Benn. Brooks, whose career spanned more than five decades and included notable roles in television, film, and theatre, died peacefully on Saturday at the age of 86 following a short illness, his family confirmed.
Born in Brighton, Brooks built a reputation as one of the UK’s most versatile and recognisable actors. His early career saw appearances in a string of classic television hits, including Danger Man, Dixon of Dock Green, Emergency-Ward 10, The Avengers, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), and Z Cars. In 1965, he gained cinematic acclaim with his role in The Knack… and How to Get It, a film that went on to win the prestigious Palme d’Or at Cannes.
Brooks also made his mark in the film world with appearances in Carry On Abroad (1972) and the 1966 Doctor Who feature Daleks’ Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D.. His theatre work included celebrated performances in Alan Ayckbourn’s Absent Friends and Tom Stoppard’s On The Razzle, sharing the stage with prominent actors such as Richard Briers, Felicity Kendal, and Phyllida Law.
Despite his extensive acting credits, it was his voice as the narrator of Mr Benn that became one of his most enduring legacies. The animated series, about a man who enters a magical costume shop and embarks on fantastical adventures, produced only 13 episodes, but they were repeated regularly for over two decades. His sons, Will and Tom, fondly recalled that people would frequently ask him to say the famous catchphrase, “as if by magic!”
One of Brooks’s most acclaimed performances came in 1966 with the BBC’s hard-hitting drama Cathy Come Home, directed by Ken Loach. The powerful depiction of homelessness and Britain’s housing crisis remains one of the most influential programmes in British television history.
In the 1980s, Brooks enjoyed major mainstream success with leading roles in Big Deal, where he played likeable rogue gambler Robbie Box, and in ITV’s Running Wild, a sitcom about a former Teddy Boy facing a mid-life crisis. His on-screen chemistry with Sharon Duce in Big Deal was so popular that the BBC reunited them in the 1992 series Growing Pains.
Brooks also became one of the rare actors to appear in both Coronation Street and EastEnders—playing Norman Philips in the former during the 1960s and later portraying Joe Macer in EastEnders, whose storyline culminated in the shocking death of Pauline Fowler.
Off-screen, Brooks was known for his deep love of family, Fulham Football Club, and his Brighton roots. He campaigned to save Fulham from a proposed merger with QPR in the 1980s, proudly wearing a “Save Fulham” badge on national television. His later years were spent quietly, living with dementia, surrounded by those closest to him.
His sons said he “shunned the limelight” but left behind a body of work that will continue to inspire and entertain generations. Ray Brooks’s remarkable voice, charisma, and talent have left an indelible mark on British culture.