Actor John Inman, of the 1970s sitcom Are You Being Served?, has died in hospital aged 71. He suffered from hepatitis A and had been taken into hospital for tests after problems with his liver.
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The actor, famous for his catchphrase "I'm free!", died in St Mary's Hospital, Paddington.
Inman, 71, was a beloved throughout the whole world. He is best remembered for his role as Mr. Humphries in the 70s sitcom Are You Being Served?.
At its peak, Are You Being Served? had an audience of 22 million
In December 2004, Inman was forced to cancel an appearance in a pantomime as he was suffering from the Hepatitis A infection. Following this, he never worked again.
John Inman's death came as a blow to his fan community and to the fellow actors. His manager Phil Dale said:
John, through his character Mr Humphries of Are You Being Served? was known and loved throughout the world. He was one of the best and finest pantomime dames working to capacity audiences throughout Britain. John was known for his comedy plays and farces which were enjoyed from London's West End throughout the country and as far as Australia, Canada and the USA.
Inman's pantomime dame buddies are clearly devastated over his death. Danny La Rue, a fellow pantomime dame and friend for 40 years, said:
the actor was fantastic and inventive and had a magic touch. He is utterly irreplaceable. The world has lost a star and I have lost a dear friend.
John Inman was a representative of the golden era and his death has left a big void which will never be filled.
But he will always be in our heart.
