Heartbeat stalwart Derek Fowlds was a TV great who was perfect foil in Yes Prime Minister

Heartbeat stalwart Derek Fowlds was a TV great who was perfect foil in Yes Prime Minister – The Yorkshire Post says

THE actor Derek Fowlds, who has died at the age of 82, will be remembered with fondess by devotees of the ITV series Heartbeat that was filmed at Goathland. Playing the role of the police sergeant Oscar Blaketon, he then became a quizzical – and sometimes sceptical – postmaster, and then publican, in the drama, featuring in all 18 series.

Actor Derek Fowlds played Sergeant Oscar Blaketon in Heartbeat.

Playing the role of the police sergeant Oscar Blaketon, he then became a quizzical – and sometimes sceptical – postmaster, and then publican, in the drama, featuring in all 18 series.

Heartbeat actor Derek Fowlds has died at the age of 82

Yet, for many, Fowlds will always be associated with the role of Downing Street press secretary Bernard Woolley in both Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister. Political comedy at its very best – Harold Wilson’s aides helped to add authenticity to the storylines – Fowlds was the perfect foil for Paul Eddington, who played Jim Hacker, and his sidekick Sir Nigel Hawthorne, whose mannerisms, as Humphrey Appleby, epitomised the obduracy of the Civil Service. What could possibly have gone wrong if this trio actually had the chance to run the country? They couldn’t have done a worse job than some – past and present...