Ray Galton death: Co-writer of Steptoe and Son and Hancock's Half Hour, dies aged 88

Galton and his co-writer Alan Simpson were both awarded OBEs in the 2000 honours list for their contribution to British television

Ray Galton, the co-creator of Steptoe and Son, has died aged 88.

Alongside Alan Simpson, the duo created several popular British comedy series, including Hancock’s Half Hour. Born in London on 17 July 1930, Galton first met Simpson when they were both recuperating from tuberculosis at Milford Sanatorium in Surrey.

They found their first success on the radio in 1954, with Hancock’s Half Hour, with a series featuring their work running on television between 1956 and 1961.

Steptoe and Son grew out of one of the half-hour plays they wrote for their BBC series Comedy Playhouse, focusing on a father and son living in a squalid house in West London.

Galton and Simpson were both awarded OBEs in the 2000 honours list for their contribution to British television and were awarded a BAFTA fellowship in 2016.

Galton died on Friday night after a “long and heartbreaking battle with dementia”, his family said in a statement. “Ray passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family. We respectfully request there are no attempts to contact the Galton family home at this time.”

Tessa Le Bars, who worked with Galton for more than 50 years, the last 40 as his manager, said: “With his lifelong co-writer, the late Alan Simpson, they were regarded as the fathers and creators of British sitcom,” she said.

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