Robbie Coltrane death: Harry Potter and James Bond star dies aged 72

Scottish actor’s cause of death was not disclosed

Robbie Coltrane, the Scottish actor best known for playing half-giant Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter film franchise, has died aged 72.

His agent of 40 years, Belinda Wright, confirmed the news on Friday 14 October. A cause of death has not yet been revealed.

Wright thanked the medical staff at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, near Falkirk in Scotland, for their “care and diplomacy”.

In a statement, she added: “Robbie was a unique talent, sharing the Guinness Book of Records’ Award for winning three consecutive Best Actor Baftas...

“For me personally, I shall remember him as an abidingly loyal client as well as being a wonderful actor. He was forensically intelligent, brilliantly witty and after 40 years of being proud to be called his Agent, I shall miss him.”

Aside from the towering, wizarding half-giant Hagrid, Coltrane also starred in two James Bond films as ex-KGB intelligence officer Valentin Zukovsky. The Russian mafia head was a recurring ally of Pierce Brosnan’s 007 in Goldeneye (1995) and The World is Not Enough (1999).

Coltrane as the imposing Rubeus Hagrid (Warner Bros)

He will also be remembered for his breakout role as Dr Edward “Fitz” Fitzgerald in Jimmy McGovern’s ITV series Cracker, which ran between 1993 and 2006.

The actor was born Anthony Robert McMillan on 30 March, 1950, in Glasgow, Scotland.

After graduating from Glasgow School of Art, Coltrane pursued a career in comic acting, beginning his career alongside Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, and Emma Thompson in the sketch series Alfresco in 1983.

Fry was among the first of a raft of actors to pay tribute to the late star.

“I first met Robbie Coltrane almost exactly 40 years ago,” Fry wrote on Twitter. “I was awe/terror/love struck all at the same time. Such depth, power & talent: funny enough to cause helpless hiccups & honking as we made our first TV show, ‘Alfresco’. Farewell, old fellow. You’ll be so dreadfully missed.”

In 2006, Coltrane was appointed an OBE in the New Year Honours by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to drama and in 2011, was awarded the Bafta Scotland Award for outstanding contribution to film.

The actor is survived by his sister Annie Rae, his children Spencer and Alice and their mother Rhona Gemmell.