EastEnders star Nicholas Ball dies aged 78

EastEnders and Footballer's Wives star Nicholas Ball has died at the age of 78.

The actor, well-known for his playing of gang lord Terry Bates in Eastenders passed away following a "short illness", his agent announced. His career on television passed over six decades.

Fans have been paying tribute to the soap star, with one person posting on X: "R.I.P. Nicholas Ball superb as Hazell on tv in the 70s books adapted and co-written by Terry Venables...." Another said: "R.I.P. Nicholas Ball."

Nicholas' EastEnders character is best remembered for attacking Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor) and causing a lot of drama in the Queen Victoria pub. Away from the iconic BBC soap, he appeared in Footballers' Wives, where he took on the role of Garry Ryan, the club chairman and a former rockstar.

He carved out a niche in crime dramas, playing the lead in Hazell - a series about a cockney ex-policeman turned private detective named James "Jim" Hazell. This character was brought to life by Gordon Williams and footballer Terry Venables, who co-authored the books using the pseudonym PB Yuill.

As reported in the Mirror, Nicholas' television credits extended to crime shows such as Jonathan Creek, Hustle, Heartbeat and Bergerac. He also featured in comedies like Red Dwarf and The Young Ones, and the drama The Crezz.

Adding to his diverse portfolio, Nicholas secured roles in various film projects, including Overlord (a war drama); Rogue Male (a thriller); crime drama The Krays: Dead Man Walking; and an adaptation of Jilly Cooper's The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous. Most recently, he worked on the drama, The Kingdom By The Sea, set to be released this year. He starred alongside Coronation Street actress Rula Lenska in this rural-based story.

Nicholas is survived by his wife Ayda. He was previously married to comedian Sir Billy Connolly's second wife, Pamela Stephenson, a comedy actress-turned-therapist whom he met on the set of Not The Nine O'Clock News.

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