Fans of Doctor Who are mourning the loss of Bernard Cribbins today. Actor, comedian, and singer, Cribbins worked in theatre, film, and television since the age of 13 and had almost an eight-decade career. He was 93.
Cribbins’ long history in show business began as a boy. He left school to become an assistant stage manager at a local theatre club. There, he began acting. He appeared in films like Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy, Casino Royale (1967), and several of the Carry On films of the 1960s. He also played Constable Tom Campbell in the 1966 Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 which starred Peter Cushing as Dr. Who. He would also appear on television shows like The Avengers, Fawlty Towers, Space:1999, and Coronation Street. For the last decade, he was best known in the role of Wilfred Mott, grandfather to Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) on Doctor Who. It was a role he recently reprised for the upcoming 60th-anniversary special and is said to be his last on-screen appearance.
Bernard Cribbins provided voice narration for a wide range of children’s programming, the Wombles. Based on the books of Elisabeth Beresford, the animated series features fantasy creatures with an environmental message. He also hosted over 100 episodes of the storytelling series Jackanory. Cribbins would host that series more than any other performer.
In a 2014 interview, Cribbins discussed his success as a storyteller saying:
Well, I think I’m a good actor, without being boastful. I have an array of voices. And intensity is a word you might use. Engage with that little figure on the other side of the lens.
In 2018, he published his autobiography, Bernard Who? 75 Years Of Doing Absolutely Everything. There, he shared his approach to life, work, and success in the entertainment industry. His motto? “Do your best and be grateful for every single job.”
Early in his career, Cribbins served a stint with the National Service. He served with the Parachute Regiment in Palestine during the 1947-1948 crisis. “Six months of getting shot at. I don’t recommend it,” he said of his experience. Cribbins’ time in the National Service was incorporated into the character of Wilf on Doctor Who, where he wore his regimental badge on the front of Wilf’s red woolly hat.
“Bernard’s contribution to British entertainment is without question. He was unique, typifying the best of his generation, and will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing and working with him,” said Gavin Barker Associates, the actor’s agency.
But Russell T. Davies seemed to write it best saying:
View this post on Instagram
Yes, indeed. “Thanks for everything, my old soldier. A legend has left the world”
R.I.P. Bernard Cribbins
1928-2022
