Ray Brooks dead: Coronation Street star dies after heartbreaking dementia battle

Coronation Street star Ray Brooks has sadly died at the age of 86 after battling dementia. The actor was best known for voicing 1970s TV cartoon Mr Benn, as well as for starring in 119 episodes of EastEnders as Joe Macer. In Coronation Street, he played Norman Phillips in 1963 and 1964.

Brooks also had roles in Doctor Who, with his last project coming in the 2016 podcast The Fourth Doctor Adventures. He played David in the Doctor Who film Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.

Ray's sons Will and Tom confirmed to the BBC that their father passed away after "a short illness" on Saturday (August 9) with his family at his bedside. He had been battling dementia in his final years.

They paid tribute to their famous father, admitting that people would "continually ask him to say the catchphrase 'as if by magic!'" and adding: "Although only 13 episodes [of Mr Benn] were made, they were repeated twice a year for 21 years."

The statement added: "His three true loves were family, Fulham Football Club, and spending time in Brighton, where he was born."

Ray tied the knot with his wife Sadie in 1963, and they welcomed three children together. Sadly their daughter Emma died before her father did at the age of just 36, in 2003.

He dedicated his EastEnders role to his late daughter, telling The Mirror: "Emma adored EastEnders. When she became ill the first time, she went to Portugal with her partner and Joe, her son, and she used to watch the show on BBC3 there.

"After I got the call from EastEnders, as I was leaving my house to go to the studios, I looked up and said 'Emma, hold my hand, I'm going to talk to them.' And what's the part I got offered? Joe, the same name as my grandson, Emma's son."

It comes just days after his Corrie co-star Frank Grimes sadly died aged 78.