EastEnders’ iconic star Nicholas Ball, who played gang lord Terry Bates on the BBC One soap has died at the age of 78. His agent announced this sad news on Thursday.
Ball was a beloved actor, and his character was one of the best in the show. Moreover, he was an all-rounder who has been in a lot of movies and shows. Keep reading to find out about the gang lord’s life and his tremendous work!
EastEnders Star Nicholas Ball Passed Away
The EastEnders icon, who is better known as Terry Bates, passed away following a short illness. In a statement by his agent, he mentioned, ‘Nicholas passed away following a short illness’ and that his ‘successful acting career on stage and screen spanned an impressive six decades.’
EastEnders fans saw Nicholas on the BBC One soap between 2007 and 2009 before his character Terry was arrested. He was found guilty of the murder of Jase Dyer in one of the show’s biggest storylines.
Furthermore, Terry’s exit storyline was that he was sentenced to life imprisonment. In 2019, it was revealed that the character had died at the age of 74 after his wife, Viv Bates, showed up to organise his funeral. EastEnders took to Twitter, paid tribute to the actor, and wrote, ‘We are saddened to hear that Nicholas Ball has passed away. Our thoughts are with Nicholas’ family and friends.’
Along with EastEnders, Ball also worked in other shows and movies. Nicholas was the lead private detective in the show Hazell. He was the main character, and this show ran two series between 1978 and 1979 over 22 one-hour episodes. Moreover, he also appeared in episodes of crime shows such as Jonathan Creek, Hustle, Heartbeat, and Bergerac.
In addition, he is survived by his widow Ayda, and was previously married to the comedy actress turned therapist Pamela Stephenson. Fans are going to miss the villainous character. May his soul rest in peace. For more EastEnders updates & news, keep reading TV Season & Spoilers!