Bill Maynard

The late Bill Maynard played possibly the most famous Heartbeat character of all, lovable rogue Claude

Jeremiah Greengrass, for the best part of a decade. He was frequently on the wrong side of the law, but somehow, he never really got into trouble! A popular and accomplished comedian, he brought a gentle humour to the series and fast became a fan-favourite. Bill revived the character of Greengrass for the spin-off series The Royal, but ill-health forced him to step down.

Despite his health troubles, BIll continued to work right up until 2018 when he passed away. He has been keeping himself busy writing and also making numerous appearances on the radio, where he had cut his teeth many decades previously.

His final TV appearance was in an episode of Pointless Celebrities, which aired just weeks after his funeral. He leaves behind an incedible legacy of TV work, including two of the most successful sitcoms of the ’70s and ’80s, The Gaffer and Oh No It’s Selwyn Froggitt.

The show was filmed in various locations in North Yorkshire A one-off show, Changing Places, followed Nick Berry’s character’s new career as a Mountie! Nick and wife Kate in Aidensfield

The cast of Heartbeat Heartbeat ran for 18 series in total