UK stage and screen actor Paul Ritter, best known for long-running Channel4 comedy series Friday Night Dinner, has died of a brain tumour aged 54, his agent has announced.
Ritter’s prolific small screen output included key roles in 2019 HBO hit Chernobyl, ITV drama Vera and Paul Abbott’s No Offence. Among his feature credits were Quantum Of Solace and Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince and he has a supporting role in John Madden’s upcoming WWII drama Operation Mincemeat starring Colin Firth.T
Ritter was also an appreciated stage actor, and was nominated for an Olivier award in 2006 for his performance in Coram Boy and for a Tony award for his 2009 starring role in the Norman Conquests. He also played John Major in Stephen Daldry’s The Audience.
But the actor was arguably best known for playing eccentric, usually shirtless Martin Goodman hosting his ‘bambinos’ for their ‘Friday Night Dinner’ in the Channel 4 sitcom of that name also starring Tamsin Greig, Simon Bird and Tom Rosenthal. He is due to appear in the show’s 10th anniversary retrospective, due to air on Channel4 later this year.
Ritter’s agent told The Guardian: “It is with great sadness we can confirm that Paul Ritter passed away last night. He died peacefully at home with his wife Polly and sons Frank and Noah by his side. He was 54 and had been suffering from a brain tumour. Paul was an exceptionally talented actor playing an enormous variety of roles on stage and screen with extraordinary skill. He was fiercely intelligent, kind and very funny. We will miss him greatly.”
The news has been met with sadness from many in the UK industry and beyond.
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