LEGEND LOST
Pop legend and star of Are You Being Served? & Worzel Gummidge Mike Berry dies aged 82 as emotional tributes pour in
Berry passed away with his family at his bedside
POP legend and Are You Being Served? star Mike Berry has died aged 82.
Emotional tributes have flooded in for the esteemed actor and singer, who also featured in the children's TV series Worzel Gummidge in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
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Berry was originally best known for his top ten hits Don't You Think It's Time in 1963 and The Sunshine of Your Smile in 1980 before becoming an actor.
His manager and friend Peter Stockton wrote on Facebook: "It is with the deepest regret that I have to inform everyone that the legendary Mike Berry died peacefully this morning, his family members by his bedside.
"As we all know, Mike was an amazing, highly talented performer whose career spanned 64 years - his first hit being the haunting Tribute to Buddy Holly in 1961.
"His last show on February 23rd at The Half Moon was a sell out, and was testimony to his superb talent.
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"He was also a gifted actor, highlighted by his performances in the iconic comedy Are You Being Served.
"A tragic loss to our world of music, and I hope that he is now having a laugh with many of his old pals up in Heaven."
Berry said he never planned to have an acting career but found success in TV adverts before being cast in Worzel Gummidge in 1979.
Playing Mr. Peters, the star appeared in all four series of the iconic show until 1981, acting alongside the likes of Jon Pertwee, Una Stubbs, and Barbara Windsor.
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The same year his previous gig ended, he joined the cast of Are You Being Served? and remained on the show until it finished in 1985.
Most recently Berry performed in a sold-out show at the Half Moon live music pub in Putney, south west London, on February 23.
Tributes have poured in for the star, including from David Stark, editor at SongLink.
In a moving Facebook post, he wrote: "I knew Mike for almost 50 years since 1976, one of the nicest guys in the biz always with a laugh and a smile.
"His excellent sold out show at the Half Moon Putney was only a few weeks ago, he was on terrific form and was due to do another one in the summer.
"Very, very sad news indeed, RIP Mike you will be missed…"
Berry was born in Northampton on September 24, 1942, before moving to North Wales for two years.
The family then moved to Stoke Newington in London, with Berry eventually leaving school aged 16 without qualifications to become an apprentice compositor.
A fan of skiffle and rock and roll music as a child, Berry formed his own folk group The Rebels, later introducing electric guitars with his band, Kenny Lord and the Statesmen.
Berry continued to have hits throughout the '60s and '70s, with tracks such as Drift Away and Don't Be Cruel.
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Later in life, Berry auditioned for the fifth series of The Voice in 2016 but was unsuccessful.
He then went on a UK tour the following year with The Solid Gold Rock'n'Roll Show, featuring Eden Kane, Marty Wilde, Mark Wynter, and the Wildcats.
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