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Greengrass
Heartbeat and Worzel Gummidge star Bill Maynard dies aged 89
He died in hospital not long after breaking his hip in a fall.
BILL MAYNARD, KNOWN for his roles as Greengrass in Heartbeat and Sergeant Beetroot in Worzel Gummidge, has died.
The veteran actor was 89.
He died in hospital not long after breaking his hip in a fall, his daughter-in-law told the BBC.
“He was larger than life and he just loved showbiz,” Jacqueline Reddin said.
“He was so proud of the fact that he had been working for 81 years.”
Maynard will be best known as poacher Claude Greengrass in the 1960s-set drama Heartbeat. He starred in the show from 1992 to 2000 and in its spinoff The Royal until 2003. He also starred in Worzel Gummidge and three Carry On films.
His last appearance came in last year’s drama The Moorside, about the disappearance of Shannon Matthews.
He had recently filmed an episode of the quiz show Pointless.
He is survived by a daughter and a son, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
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