Tom Chadbon
Tom Chadbon has died aged 80. Screenshot from Instagram/tomchadbonofficial

Veteran character actor Tom Chadbon, known for roles in 'Doctor Who' and a brief appearance in 'Casino Royale', has died aged 80, his collaborators at Fantom Events confirmed in the UK this week.

Announcing his death on Instagram, publishing and events company Fantom Events wrote: 'Tom was a familiar face to many from his numerous television and film credits, including Doctor Who, James Bond and Game Of Thrones. He was always a warm and friendly man to work with and we send our condolences to his family at this sad time.'

Born in Luton, Bedfordshire, on 27 February 1946, Chadbon trained at Rada and built a career over nearly five decades across stage, film and television, working in genres including science fiction, courtroom drama, crime and comedy.

'Doctor Who' Roles Made Him a Cult Favourite

It was 'Doctor Who' that first fixed Chadbon in the minds of many viewers. In 1979 he appeared opposite Tom Baker in 'City of Death', playing trench coat-clad private detective Duggan in a Paris-set story involving a plot to steal the Mona Lisa.

The episode, partly written by Douglas Adams, drew more than 16 million viewers and still holds the record as the most watched 'Doctor Who' episode in the show's history. Tom Baker later recalled in 2009 that 'Tom Chadbon was terribly funny.'

Chadbon returned to the series in 1986 in 'The Mysterious Planet', playing Merdeen, the conflicted Chief Guard on Ravolox, secretly helping Colin Baker's sixth Doctor resist the orders of the robot Drathro. His association with the franchise continued in audio dramas, where his voice was frequently used.

A Long Screen Career Beyond the Tardis

Chadbon's career stretched far beyond 'Doctor Who'. On film he appeared in titles including 'The Alf Garnett Saga', 'Juggernaut', 'Shooting Fish' and 'Tess'.

In 2006 he appeared in Daniel Craig's first James Bond film, 'Casino Royale', playing a stockbroker. His final television role came in 2017 in HBO's 'Game of Thrones', playing High Septon Maynard in the seventh series finale.

Over the years he appeared in 'Blake's 7', 'Within These Walls', 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes', 'Heartbeat', 'Softly, Softly', 'Taggart', 'Foyle's War', 'Silent Witness', 'Holby City', 'The Bill', 'Father Brown' and 'Midsomer Murders', along with recurring roles in 'The Liver Birds', 'Wire in the Blood', 'Where the Heart Is' and 'Casualty', where he played Henry Williams, the hospital's director of critical care, between 2008 and 2011.

In 1995 he drew criticism for his role in BBC drama 'Crown Prosecutor' as senior Crown Prosecutor Lenny Monk, particularly for an episode showing Monk coaching witnesses, something a Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said would not happen in reality. Chadbon acknowledged at the time that Monk was 'a bit of a maverick.'

He was also involved in a dispute in 2008 over 'The Bill' special 'Moving Targets', in which he played corrupt MP Paul Sagger, a storyline that prompted the threat of a libel writ from Respect MP George Galloway, who reportedly believed the character was modelled on him.

His work in lighter roles included joining Charles Dance, Diana Rigg and Emilia Fox in ITV's adaptation of 'Rebecca' in 1997, and playing Martin, partner of Jeremy's mother, in a 2008 episode of Channel 4's 'Peep Show'.

Stage Work and Personal Life

Away from the camera, Chadbon maintained a substantial stage career after his 1967 debut in 'Galileo' at the Phoenix Theatre in Leicester, performing at the Bristol Old Vic, the National Theatre and in London's West End.

He married Deborah, daughter of the 2nd Viscount Leathers, in 1966, a marriage dissolved in 1970, and later married designer Jane Hennessy in 1977. He had two sons and two daughters.

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