Coronation Street, Carry On and Brookside star dies age 93

Coronation Street and Brookside star Kenneth Cope has died. Actor Kenneth, who was also known for appearing in several Carry On films, has died at the age of 93, his former agent has said.

The actor, who was born in Liverpool in 1931, played Jed Stone, known to many as "Sunny Jim", on the ITV soap, as well as Ray Hilton in Brookside. Kenneth enjoyed three separate stints on the cobbles, initially as Minnie Caldwell's lodger in the early 60s, again in 1966 and then once more on 2008.

The actor's death was confirmed online by agent Sandra Chalmers, the Mirror reported, who wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: "Announcing the passing of a true icon #KennethCope. An absolute joy to work with and an honour to have known. A true gentleman in show business RIP."

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He also starred in the original run of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), playing detective Marty Hopkirk, as well as appearing in two Carry On films, and had roles in Minder and A Touch of Frost. His final stint in Coronation Street in 2008, saw him as part of a storyline involving Tony Gordon, played by Gray O'Brien, that spanned several months.

This was his final acting appearance with Jed's final moments on the soap involving an explosive showdown with Tony's associate Jimmy Dockerson (Robert Beck). The showdown resulted in Jed being admitted to hospital after having a heart attack.

Cope had minor roles in the 1950s war film Dunkirk, along with musical The Lady Is A Square, science fiction movie The Damned and The Unstoppable Man. He also had appearances on satirical programme That Was The Week That Was and spy series The Avengers in the 1960s and during this period would release the song Hands Off, Stop Mucking About that seemed to riff on him playing Jed.

In 1971’s Carry On At Your Convenience, set in a factory amid a dispute, he played the lazy and annoying striking organiser Vic Spanner, and came back for another film in the long-running comedy franchise. For Carry On Matron, he was cast as the son of Sid James’s character, Cyril Carter, who is pushed to disguise himself as a female nurse to commit crime.

The actor, who is survived by his wife, former Coronation Street actress Renny Lister and his children Nick, Mark and Martha, was passionate about his native Liverpool and was a supporter of Everton Football Club.