JOHN INMAN, star of TV sitcom Are You Being Served?, died in hospital early this morning.
The actor, 71, passed away in St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, west London, at 4am after being ill for some time.
John's manager, Phil Dale said: “John, through his character Mr Humphries of Are You Being Served? was known and loved throughout the world.
“He was one of the best and finest pantomime dames working to capacity audiences throughout Britain.
“John was known for his comedy plays and farces which were enjoyed from London’s West End throughout the country and as far as Australia, Canada and the USA.”
Inman’s long-term partner, Ron Lynch, is said to be “devastated” at his death.
The actor suffered from hepatitis A and had been taken into hospital for tests after problems with his liver.
It was revealed that he had the disease after it forced him to cancel the opening of a pantomime in London on December 9, 2004.
Hepatitis A is an inflammation of the liver caused through eating contaminated food, which the star believed was how he came to have the virus.
It was initially hoped he would be able to return to the pantomime, in which he was due to play Wanda the Cook in Dick Whittington, before Christmas 2004, but he never worked again.
The virus is highly infectious and symptoms include fever, loss of energy and jaundice.
There is no treatment except bed rest and the debilitating symptoms can often take several months to clear, but it is deemed less serious than the hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses.
Mr Dale said at the time that it was “not a serious illness” and that Inman was expected to be “fine”.
The television actor’s health problems in 2004 were the second scare in three years, after he spent three days in intensive care in 2001.
Then 65, he was admitted with breathing difficulties to St Mary’s, the same hospital where he was later to die.
After three days in intensive care, he was given the all-clear and moved to a general ward.
Inman played camp salesman Mr Humphries in the comedy series Are You Being Served? for a decade from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s.
He starred alongside Wendy Richard, who went on to play Pauline Fowler in EastEnders, as well as Molly Sugden, Frank Thornton and Trevor Bannister.
The actor had been with Mr Lynch for 35 years. The celebrated a civil partnership ceremony at London’s Westminster Register Office on December 23, 2005.
