Yorkshire actor Tom Wilkinson, known for starring role in The Full Monty, dies aged 75

The actor, well known for his role in The Full Monty as former steel mill foreman Gerald Cooper, died "suddenly" on Saturday.

His death was confirmed in a statement shared by his agent on behalf of his family.

The statement read: "It is with great sadness that the family of Tom Wilkinson announce that he died suddenly at home on December 30. His wife and family were with him.

"The family asks for privacy at this time."

The Leeds-born Wilkinson was nominated for Academy Awards for actor in a leading role for In The Bedroom in 2001, and actor in a supporting role for Michael Clayton in 2007.

He most recently reunited with his The Full Monty co-stars, Robert Carlyle and Mark Addy, in a Disney+ series of the same name.

The original 1997 comedy about an unlikely group of men stripping won an Oscar for best original musical or comedy score and was nominated for three others, including best picture and best director.

Wilkinson's character played a critical role in the film as he was recruited to help the unemployed Sheffield men dance ahead of them performing to a Tom Jones version of You Can Leave Your Hat On.

He would also take home best supporting actor during the 1998 Bafta ceremony for his role in the film.

Wilkinson also won a 2009 Golden Globe and 2008 Emmy for his role as American political figure Benjamin Franklin in HBO series John Adams opposite Paul Giamatti.

He was also known for his roles in a BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens novel Martin Chuzzlewit, the 1995 adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense And Sensibility, the 2014 Wes Anderson comedy drama The Grand Budapest Hotel and 2011 ensemble comedy The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

Wilkinson, who became an OBE for services to drama in 2005, was born in Yorkshire in 1948 and grew up in Canada and Cornwall before attending the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada) in the 1970s.

He married actress Diana Hardcastle in 1988.

Hardcastle has starred alongside her husband in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, History channel TV show The Kennedys, 2014 action movie Good People and most recently in the 2020 period drama series Belgravia.

They have two children.