EastEnders legend Tony Caunter dies aged 88 just eight days after death of wife
‘Wonderful’ Tony Caunter, best known as Roy Evans on EastEnders has died aged 88, a week after his wife, Fran.
His family announced the news in a statement, confirming he ‘died peacefully yesterday evening’.
Caunter was a firm fixture on EastEnders from 1994 to 2003, introduced as a love interest and later husband for the iconic Pat Butcher, played by Pam St Clement.
‘It is with enormous sadness that we bring the curtain down on our wonderful and hugely loved father, Tony Caunter, who died peacefully yesterday evening, just eight days after his beloved wife of 63 years, Fran, also passed away,’ the family said.
‘Dad was 88 years old. After a long and fulfilling life on and off screen and stage, Tony leaves a daughter and three sons, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.’
They added he would be ‘missed by all’, having praised how ‘loved’ he was.
‘We would like to thank the NHS staff at Eastbourne District General Hospital for their incredible care during his final hours, and to everyone at Eastbourne Gardens nursing home for the care and compassion they have given dad over the past two months.’
They ended their statement saying they request privacy ‘at this extremely difficult time’.
A statement from EastEnders said: ‘It is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of Tony Caunter.
‘Tony will forever be loved and respected by everyone at EastEnders for his warmth, kindness and humour as well as being greatly remembered by all those at home who instantly took Roy to their hearts.
‘Roy will always be remembered for his great love of Pat, despite him famously declaring his distaste in her choice of earrings, which gave us all one of Walford’s greatest love affairs.
‘Tony will never be forgotten by all those who worked alongside him for many years and everyone at EastEnders sends their love and condolences to Tony’s family and friends.’
At the time, Caunter called it ‘the happiest period of my career’, with executive producer Louise Berridge later saying she regretted writing Roy out.
Caunter added: ‘We felt we’d done enough with Roy, and it was time for me to move on. I will miss working alongside my screen family and all the team at EastEnders, but I look forward to trying out some new roles.’
Alongside EastEnders, Caunter was a prolific TV actor with credits including The Avengers, Casualty, The Sweeney, Minder, and Queenie’s Castle.
He retired from acting a few years after his EastEnders exit, with his last credit in an episode of Doctors in 2008.