Duty Free sitcom star Keith dies at 83
TRIBUTES poured in last night for TV actor Keith Barron, who has died at 83.
Barron, who starred in the sitcom Duty Free, Dennis Potter’s The Nigel Barton Plays and 1975 Hollywood film The Land That Time Forgot, died after a short illness.
Gwen Taylor, who played Barron’s cheated wife Amy in Duty Free, called his death “quite a blow”.
She added: “Keith was such a kind and lovely man.”
Elstree Studios chairman Morris Bright wrote on Twitter: “Deeply saddened at passing of the great actor Keith Barron.” He added he was a “true gentleman”.
Sunetra Sarker, who starred with Barron in Casualty, called him “one of a kind” who “guaranteed laughter”.
Emmerdale actress Samantha Giles said she “adored” Barron. She tweeted: “So saddened to hear of Keith’s death. I was lucky enough to work with him and my God we had some laughs! Never afraid to call a spade a spade.”
Barron is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mary, and his actor son James.
Born in Mexborough, South Yorkshire, he did National Service in the RAF, then joined an amateur dramatics group also attended by booming-voiced Brian Blessed.
He moved to London, performing in a series of Dennis Potter plays and later transferring the role to TV in the mid-1960s with Stand Up Nigel Barton, and Vote, Vote, Vote For Nigel Barton.
Eighties sitcom Duty Free had 12 million viewers and won him further acclaim.
Set in Spain, it ran for three series with Barron as a gruff Northerner having a secret affair with a posh Southerner.
Recently Barron appeared in ITV’s DCI Banks.
He also acted in Holby City, Casualty, Doctors, Benidorm, Heartbeat, Doctor Who and Coronation Street.