Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Ken Barrie dead: Voice of Postman Pat dies aged 83

Friday 29 July 2016 14:47 BST

Ken Barrie voiced Postman Pat in the children's series (Getty Images)

Ken Barrie, the voice of Postman Pat, has died from cancer aged 83.

Barrie provided the voice for Pat and other characters in the original childrens series in the 1980s.

Barrie was born Leslie Hulme and sang the theme tune for the show.

Notable deaths in 2016

Show all 42

1/42Notable deaths in 2016

Notable deaths in 2016

Debbie Reynolds was an American actress, singer, businesswoman, film historian, and humanitarian. She died on December 28 in Los Angeles

Rex

Notable deaths in 2016

Actress Carrie Fisher died on December 27 aged 60

Rex

Notable deaths in 2016

Comedian and Actor Ricky Harris died on December 26 aged 54

Rex

Notable deaths in 2016

British singer George Michael died on 25 December aged 53

Getty

Notable deaths in 2016

Rick Parfitt OBE was an English musician, best known for being a singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist in the rock band Status Quo. He died on December 24 in Marbella, Spain

Rex

Notable deaths in 2016

Lord Jenkin of Roding died at the age of 90 on the 21 December

PA wire

Notable deaths in 2016

Rabbi Lionel Blue died on the 19 December

Rex

Notable deaths in 2016

Zsa Zsa Gabor died on December 18

Getty

Notable deaths in 2016

Leonard Cohen died on 7 November

Getty Images

Notable deaths in 2016

Grand secretary of the Orange Order Drew Nelson died on 10 October aged 60 after a short illness

PA

Notable deaths in 2016

Aaron Pryor, the relentless junior welterweight died Sunday, Oct. 9, at the age of 60 at his home in Cincinnati after a long battle with heart disease

AP

Notable deaths in 2016

Polish Director Andrzej Wajda died on October 9, aged 90

Reuters

Notable deaths in 2016

Stylianos Pattakos has died following a stroke on 8th October. He was 103 years old.

AP

Notable deaths in 2016

Dickie Jeeps, was an English rugby union player who played for Northampton. He represented and captained both the England national rugby union team and the British Lions in the 1950s and 1960s. He died on 8th October. He was 84

Getty

Notable deaths in 2016

Duke of Westminster

Billionaire landowner the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor has died on 9 August, aged 64

Rex Features

Notable deaths in 2016

Christina Knudsen

Sir Roger Moore’s stepdaughter Christina Knudsen has died from cancer on 25 July at teh age of 47

Getty Images

Notable deaths in 2016

Caroline Aherne

The actress Caroline Aherne has died from cancer on 2 July at the age of 52

Getty Images

Notable deaths in 2016

Christina Grimmie

Christina Grimmie, 22, who was an American singer and songwriter, known for her participation in the NBC singing competition The Voice, was signing autographs at a concert venue in Orlando on 10 June when an assailant shot her. Grimmie was transported to a local hospital where she died from her wounds on 11 June

Getty

Notable deaths in 2016

Kimbo Slice

Former UFC and Bellator MMA fighter Kimbo Slice died after being admitted to hospital in Florida on 6 June, aged 42

Getty

Notable deaths in 2016

Muhammad Ali

The three-time former heavyweight world champion died after being admitted to hospital with a respiratory illness on 3 June, aged 74

Getty Images

Notable deaths in 2016

Sally Brampton

Brampton who was the launch editor of the UK edition of Elle magazine has died on 10 May, aged 60

Grant Triplow/REX/Shutterstock

Notable deaths in 2016

Billy Paul

The soul singer Billy Paul, who was best known for his single “Me and Mrs Jones”, has died on 24 April, aged 81

Noel Vasquez/Getty Images

Notable deaths in 2016

Prince

Prince, the legendary musician, has been found dead at his Paisley Park recording studio on 21 April. He was 57

Notable deaths in 2016

Chyna

WWE icon Joan Laurer dies aged 45 after being found at California home on 20 April

Notable deaths in 2016

Victoria Wood

The five-time Bafta-winning actress and comedian Victoria Wood has died on 20 April at her London home after a short illness with cancer. She was 62

Notable deaths in 2016

David Gest

The entertainer and former husband of Liza Minnelli, David Gest has been found dead on 12 April in the Four Seasons hotel in Canary Warf, London. He was 62-years-old

PA

Notable deaths in 2016

Denise Robertson

Denise Robertson, an agony aunt on This Morning for over 30 years, has died on 1 April, aged 83

Notable deaths in 2016

Zaha Hadid

Dame Zaha Hadid, the prominent architect best known for designs such as the London Olympic Aquatic Centre and the Guangzhou Opera House, has died of a heart attack on 31 March, aged 65

2010 AFP

Notable deaths in 2016

Ronnie Corbett

British entertainer Ronnie Corbett has passed away on 31 March at the age of 85

2014 Getty Images

Notable deaths in 2016

Imre Kertesz

Hungarian writer and Holocaust survivor Imre Kertesz, who won the 2002 Nobel Literature Prize, has died on 31 March, at the age of 86

REUTERS

Notable deaths in 2016

Rob Ford

Rob Ford, the former controversial mayor of Toronto, has died following a battle with a rare form of cancer. The 46-year-old passed away at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto on 22 March

Notable deaths in 2016

Joey Feek

Joey (left) passed away in March after a two-year cancer illness. She was part of country music duo, Joey + Rory, with her husband Rory (right)

Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Notable deaths in 2016

Umberto Eco

Italian writer and philosopher Umberto Eco died 19 February 2016 aged 84

EPA

Notable deaths in 2016

Harper Lee

Harper Lee, the American novelist known for writing 'To Kill a Mockingbird', died February 19, 2016 aged 89

2005 Getty Images

Notable deaths in 2016

Vanity

Vanity, pictured performing in 1983, died aged 57

REX Features

Notable deaths in 2016

Dave Mirra

The BMX legend's body found inside truck with gunshot wound after apparent suicide aged 41

Notable deaths in 2016

Harry Harpham

The former miner became Sheffield Labour MP in May after many years as a local councillor. He died after succumbing to cancer, at the age of 61.

Notable deaths in 2016

Dale Griffin

The Mott the Hoople drummer died on January 17, aged 67

REX

Notable deaths in 2016

Rene Angelil

Celine Dion's husband and manager Rene Angelil has lost his battle with cancer on 14 January, aged 73

2011 Getty Images

Notable deaths in 2016

Alan Rickman

Legendary actor Alan Rickman has died on 14 January at the age of 69 after battle with pancreatic cancer. He is largely regarded as one of the most beloved British actors of our generation with roles in Love Actually, Die Hard, Michael Collins, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and an illustrious stage career

2015 Getty Images

Notable deaths in 2016

Maurice White

The Earth, Wind & Fire founder died aged 74. The nine-piece band sold more than 90 million albums worldwide and won six Grammy awards

Notable deaths in 2016

Lawrence Phillips

Former NFL star found dead in prison cell on 13 January in suspected suicide, aged 40

AFP/Getty Images

His death was confirmed by a family member speaking to the BBC.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies