Stephen Lewis, the veteran actor best known for his role as put-upon Inspector Cyril 'Blakey' Blake in sitcom On the Buses, has died. He was 88.
Lewis passed away on Wednesday in a nursing home in East London.
His nephew, Peter Lewis, said: "He had terrible arthritis in one knee which really badly affected him, and many years ago he had prostate cancer - and whether that had come back we don't know."
Rashid Ebrahimkhan, the manager of Cambridge Nursing Home, said: "He was still quite funny. He still had his sense of humour, very much so, like he was on On the Buses. He had the sense of humour until the last."
Lewis' catchphrases from his scenes with late On the Buses co-star Reg Varney, "I'll get you for this Butler" and "I hate you Butler", became part of the comedy lexicon.
His career spanned over six decades and his other credits included The Last of the Summer Wine, The Krays, Personal Services and London's Burning.
Stephen Lewis, a major part of Joan Littlewood's revolution, a big part of my childhood and a gentleman to work with. pic.twitter.com/92oxVDZ7e6
— Gary Kemp (@garyjkemp) August 13, 2015
Gutted to hear Stephen Lewis has sadly passed away. Another piece of my childhood telly gone. #Blakey pic.twitter.com/xuoJC6E10n
— Paddy McGuinness (@PaddyMcGuinness) August 13, 2015
