EASTENDERS star Bill Treacher passed away aged 92 today, with fans of the show paying touching tributes to the legendary soap actor.
He was an iconic fixture of the BBC show’s cast from 1985 until 1996, but the reason he was written out of the soap was unknown by many.
Bill Treacher passed away today at the age of 92
He was best known for his stint on the BBC soap from 1985 to 1996
His character Arthur Fowler was known by fans through the tumultuous storylines of his decade on the show.
But behind-the-scenes, Treacher himself was known to have struggled with the pressure of being a BBC star.
Treacher’s doctors told the actor he had to stop his run on EastEnders otherwise the stress could kill him.
The actor told TV chiefs in 1995 he needed to be written out of the show due to his off-screen troubles, and at the time said: “Even the sound of the theme music was making me feel ill. I felt depressed.”
Aged 66 when he left the show, the actor later revealed in a 2003 documentary that he also decided to quit as he felt too old.
However, this didn’t hold him back from pursuing other roles, and he even made his way to Hollywood.
In 1998, he played Stuart in The Tale of the Mummy, before appearing in Big Enough for Three in 2000.
After several other movie roles, Treacher starred alongside American icon Patrick Swayze in fantasy film George and The Dragon in 2004.
And his last know acting credit came in 2009, where he appeared as Father Allistair in Coming Home.
He died late on Saturday night after suffering declining health for some time.
A statement from his heartbroken family said: “The family of the actor Bill Treacher are sad to announce that Bill died late Saturday night, 5 November 2022.
“He was 92 years old and his health had been declining for some time. He was much loved by his wife, Kate, his son, Jamie and his daughter, Sophie.
“Bill was a brilliant actor and a wonderful husband and father, plus a very fine human being. He will be hugely missed.
“The family respectfully request privacy at this time.”
Treacher was married to Australian actress Katherine Kessey, and the couple shared two children at their country home in Suffolk.
In 2015, he revealed he was suffering from ataxia, a disorder that can affect co-ordination, balance and speech.
The disease robbed the EastEnders legend of his ability to walk, which saw his iconic career come to an end.
‘Much-Loved Character’
Following his passing, tributes have poured in for the soap legend.
A spokeswoman for EastEnders said: “It is with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of Bill Treacher.
“As one of our original cast members, Bill created a much-loved character in Arthur Fowler and, alongside Wendy Richard, they created an iconic family in the Fowlers who still remain at the heart of the show.
“Bill left EastEnders in 1996, so it is a true testament to both he and the character that he created in Arthur that he is still thought of so fondly.
“Bill will always be remembered for his charm, sense of humour – with a smile that lit up the room – and more importantly as a family man who was devoted to his wife and children.
“Bill will forever be held in great affection by everyone at EastEnders and all those that loved watching him. Rest in peace Bill and thank you for the memories.”
Gillian Taylforth, who played Kathy Beale in EastEnders, said: “I have so many happy memories of Bill, in fact we were only sharing stories of him at work the other day, about how he always had a sparkle in his eyes, usually before he mischievously set us off laughing during scenes.
“Bill was a wonderful, wonderful man who will be truly missed and I am sending all our love to his wife Kate and his family.”
‘Wonderful Man’
Letitia Dean, another original cast member, said: “Bill really was the life and soul of the set, he was an absolute joy to be around and always had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.
“As an actor, Bill was meticulous and he went to great lengths to portray Arthur, from the smallest scenes to the heart-breaking stories.
“Bill was an utter professional, a wonderful man and he will be greatly missed. I’m sending all my love to his family.”
Todd Carty, who played the Fowlers’ eldest son Mark, said: “I’m so sorry to hear about Bill passing, I absolutely loved working with him. He was not only an amazing actor but a kind and sincere man.
“My thoughts are with his family at this time. He’ll be sadly missed, I will never forget him. May he rest in peace.”
