Irish actor Ben Keaton, who performed Father Austin Purcell in Father Ted and appeared in Casualty and Docs, has died aged 70
Followers of HUGE 90s sitcom Father Ted go wild as castmates Patrick McDonnell, Paddy Ward and Ben Keaton reunite nearly 30 years after present first aired (Picture: undefined)
Father Ted actor Ben Keaton has died aged 70. Keaton, who performed Father Austin Purcell within the cherished comedy collection, alongside roles in Casualty and Docs, handed away at Lincoln County Hospital on Friday, it has been confirmed, The Mirror experiences.
His loss of life discover states: “Ben might be endlessly enormously missed, liked and fondly remembered by his ex-wife Polly, son Waldo and daughter Daisy, brothers Des and Thom, sister Jeanette.”
Paying tribute, the Nottingham Playhouse remarked: “We’re so sorry to listen to of the loss of life of Ben Keaton, an exquisite actor who’s fondly remembered in our 2008 manufacturing of Vertigo. Sending our deepest sympathies to his household and mates.”
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In the meantime, a Father Ted fan X account posted: “Saddened to listen to of the passing of actor Ben Keaton. We knew him as Father Austin Purcell (considered one of my favorite one-off characters). He was a daily at ComicCon occasions, so I think about many acquired to fulfill him through the years. My ideas are together with his household, mates, and plenty of followers.”
Past his tv profession, the Irishman was an achieved stage performer. He devoted a lot of his skilled profession to The Royal Change Theatre in Manchester, that includes in a various vary of productions from American Buffalo to Hay Fever.
A multi-talented performer, he co-founded the improv collective South Of The River and held a senior function on the Artistic Academy. His trophy cupboard demonstrated his versatility, that includes the 1986 Perrier Comedy Award and two Finest Actor honours from the Manchester Night Information, earlier than incomes a nomination for the celebrated Laurence Olivier Awards.
Paying tribute to him in a submit on X (previously Twitter), one fan penned: “RIP Ben Keaton. A terrific actor and comic – there will be little reward greater (if in any respect) in that he stole the scene each time he appeared in Father Ted. Off to the nice parochial home within the sky.”
father ted (Picture: undefined)
In 2022, Keaton skilled an unexpected explosion in on-line fame after being mobbed by supporters requesting autographs on the CovCon occasion in Coventry. The thrill escalated when he teamed up with fellow Father Ted solid members Joe Rooney (Father Damo), Michael Redmond (Father Stone), and Patrick McDonnell (Eoin McLove) to file an unplanned TikTok video.
Reflecting on the viral phenomenon, Keaton instructed The Irish Solar: “The video went from 500 views to 50,000 and up and up. Joe now says we’re up at half one million views on TikTok. It is unimaginable.” H
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e admitted he was frequently amazed by the enduring legacy of his transient, scene-stealing efficiency because the world’s most boring priest. Drawing parallels to his different performances, Keaton noticed: “I appeared in Casualty for 3 years, no one cares. I did three minutes on Father Ted and it is all individuals need to speak about and one thing which simply sails by way of time.”
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